Broken Tools
by Quatermass
Summary: The war against Voldemort is over, but the cost was high to Harry Potter's soul. A pair of ghosts direct him to a new destiny, one that will see him join FoxHOUND, find love, and eventually end up in the middle of Liquid Snake's revolt on Shadow Moses...but can Harry ever find happiness in his new life?
1. Foreword

**FOREWORD**

I remember when I was first introduced to _Metal Gear Solid_ in high school. To me, it was a revelation, partly because of the (at the time) immersive gameplay, but mostly because of the indepth story, unlike any I had seen in a video game before (I was yet to discover the delights of the _Final Fantasy_ series). Despite the flaws in balancing the game to cinema ratio the _Metal Gear Solid_ games have, they have retained a place in my heart.

This crossover came about on a whim. Harry Potter is very much a child soldier, like so many characters, tragically, in the _Metal Gear_ games. Given that Harry Potter is set in the Nineties, and _Metal Gear Solid_ is set in 2005, I thought I'd also do an experiment in a 'post-canon' Harry Potter story, albeit one that has ended a little differently to canon, as well as not being compliant with the epilogue. I've done a lot of Harry Potter fics set before or during canon, but not after.

Anyway, time for the usual disclaimers. Firstly, there will be annotations, as with all my fanfics. Don't like? Don't read.

Secondly, this is an M-Rated work, with violence, language, and sexual references. No slash, though (save where I mention it because it's canonical: namely one-sided Ocelot/Big Boss, and, should I get that far, Vamp/Dolph). I'm not into it, and I'd rather leave it to those who are both capable and willing to write it.

Thirdly, here, there be spoilers for Harry Potter, as well as a lot of games in the _Metal Gear_ series, including _The Phantom Pain_. Consider this your last warning. If you don't want to be spoiled, leave.

Finally, the following is a fan-written work. Harry Potter and the _Metal Gear_ series are the property of their respective owners. Please support the official release. Otherwise, Psycho Mantis will set you on fire.


	2. Chapter 1: Ghosts

**CHAPTER 1:**

 **GHOSTS**

The teenager, paradoxically, seemed every bit as ancient as the house whose doors he stepped into. Messy dark hair, green eyes, and a face that looked a little haggard.

He should have had every reason to celebrate. But in truth, he felt hollow. Even with the shadow of one who wanted to kill him removed, he felt like he could never quite get out of the darkness.

Too many people dead. Too many of them friends, and not enough of them foes. The revelation that his greatest mentor had manipulated his life, albeit with the best of intentions. But you know what they say about what the road to hell was paved with.

Harry Potter staggered through the rooms of 12 Grimmauld Place, before coming to a living room, and sitting down, putting his head in his hands. His relationship, such as it was, with Ginny Weasley had come to an end. Not in the worst of circumstances, but it could have been a lot better. Not so long ago, after Dumbledore had died and he had broken up with her, she had remarked that he would never be happy unless he was chasing after Voldemort. At the time, he wasn't so sure. But now, he was. She had been right. And he had broken the news to her as gently as possible. He told her to move on, find someone better than Harry Potter.

He had broken her heart, no doubt. But he doubted she could understand. Dumbledore had done his work too well, changing Harry into a soldier. It wasn't that he was heartless, it was more that he couldn't quite be with her any more. He couldn't find what was in her that had attracted him in the first place.

She understood. It had broken her heart, but she understood. Oh, he would receive Howlers from Molly, no doubt, and his friendship with Ron would probably be damaged. But at least Ginny understood. So too, hopefully, would Hermione.

The question was, where to from here? He was getting sick and tired of all the fame he had gotten. He had left the latest party thrown to celebrate the demise of Voldemort, aka Tom Marvolo Riddle, where he had broken up with Ginny. He couldn't take the adulation any more. Especially as he began to hear whispers here and there about himself, whispers spread by poisonous tongues, that he was going dark, that he had resorted to dark magic to end Voldemort. It had been weeks at most since Voldemort's death, and already, Harry knew that his fame wouldn't last. Not before being turned into infamy. It had happened so readily before.

" _Sad…so sad_."

The voice was spoken in a soft susurration. Harry thought it may have been a portrait, until he realised that there were two people sitting on a lounge near him. He yelped in fright, and whipped his wand out, pointing it at them. "Who the hell are you?!" he demanded.

" _Sorrow, love, I know you like to be portentous…but is it worth it? We want to speak to him, not scare him to death._ "

" _I'm sorry, Boss. It is…how do you say…my thing?_ "

Harry stared at the two people. One was a man in his fifties, dressed in a dark grey jumper and camouflage trousers, with glasses and a gentle face that seemed both to smile and weep. The other was a blonde woman of perhaps a decade younger, dressed in a figure-hugging silver combat suit. "Okay, I'll ask you again. Who are you?"

" _Our names are unimportant, Harry Potter, for they have been long since lost to the mists of history. Even our_ noms de guerre _have been all but forgotten_ ," the woman said, standing. Harry was struck by the dignified, even regal posture of the woman. She was definitely a leader of men. " _I was known by many titles in my life, such as the Joy, or Voyevoda. But most knew me as the Boss. I was brought on as advisor when your country first formed the SAS, and I was known as the mother of the special forces in the United States. The Sorrow and I lead a special forces unit, the Cobra Unit, into battle during the Second World War. If it weren't for us, the D-Day landings may very well have turned out differently._ "

Harry blinked. He had met more than his fair share of ghosts before, and heard their life stories, like Nick, Myrtle, and Helena Ravenclaw. It was weird to find ghosts outside Hogwarts, though, not to mention ghosts who seemed so…Muggle. "Why have you come here, then?" Harry asked.

" _Because I have been drawn to the latest possessor of all three Deathly Hallows_ ," the Sorrow said. " _The one the legends mistakenly call the Master of Death. In truth, the bearers of all three Hallows do not become immortal. Rather, they become more attuned with the other side. They are not the only artifacts to bestow this gift. Like you, I was once a wizard, a child soldier, originally brought up to fight the communists, only to end up working for their side. I became briefly the possessor of artifacts like the Hallows, and thus gained my abilities. Abilities you too now share._ "

"Like what?"

" _You no longer require the Stone to recall shades of the dead, though you need to know the person, or be in proximity to their corpse. The power of your magic has been enhanced. And you can become inconspicuous, though not actually invisible, at will. Powers relating to each of the Hallows._ " The Sorrow looked down at the floor. " _But there is more. From my perspective on the other side, I can see the future, dimly_."

"Oh great, another prophecy."

" _It is no prophecy, Harry Potter_ ," the Sorrow rebuked gently. " _What futures I see are dim and ever-shifting. And the outcomes can still be good without your presence. But with your presence, they can be better. More lives will be saved that should be saved. And you will have a cause to fight for. The Magical World is but part of a bigger world, a bigger world that may get consumed by war, or nuclear apocalypse._ "

The Boss nodded. " _Tell me, Harry, did you ever read about the Outer Heaven uprising three years ago?_ "

The name seemed vaguely familiar. Harry read about it, shortly before the Dementors attacked him and Dudley(1). Somewhere in South Africa, a group of terrorists had formed their own micronation, Outer Heaven. Apparently, they had gotten hold of nuclear weapons, and so, NATO had bombed the compound.

After telling this to the two ghosts, the Boss nodded. " _But that is not the whole story. The concept of Outer Heaven, as a mercenary nation, was created by one of my students, who became known as Big Boss after assassinating me. Under orders. He, or rather a body double, formed Outer Heaven as a mercenary nation where soldiers answered only to themselves, not to any government. They obtained a means of creating an ultimate weapon, Metal Gear, a nuclear weapon-equipped walking battle tank. But he did so while in charge of a special forces group, FoxHOUND, manipulating them from behind the scenes. He sent two agents from FoxHOUND to Outer Heaven to keep up appearances, as nobody knew Big Boss was in charge of Outer Heaven. The first, Grey Fox, was soon captured. The second, a rookie called Solid Snake, was surprisingly more successful._ "

"Excuse me, but 'Solid Snake'? 'Big Boss'? What sort of names are these?"

" _Codenames. Admittedly, the nomenclature could use some work. Blame the CIA for calling Jack Big Boss because he managed to defeat me._ " The Boss rolled her eyes. " _Anyway, according to the Sorrow, Solid Snake is definitely the linchpin of events to come. Without him, the world will definitely be consumed by war, even nuclear fire. In a way, it is my fault. I told Big Boss, and through him, his CO, of my dream of a world united, where soldiers do not have to fear changing enemies that come from changing times, and the whims of politicians. Unfortunately, they both misinterpreted my vision. At least Jack…Big Boss, he had a better understanding. But he also rejected the peaceful elements of my dream. While David…Major Zero, he wanted to control the world utterly. And now, he's little more than a vegetable, while the forces he unleashed rule the United States from behind the scenes._ "

"I don't understand much of this."

" _You will_ ," the Boss said, kindly. Harry suddenly realised how maternal the woman seemed. Despite having the air of a hardened soldier, there was also the gentle nature of a mother about her. " _Harry, we will not ask you to help us lightly. You have done enough in your life. But you feel an emptiness in that life, do you not? We offer a chance to fill it. Fill what your friend called your 'saving people thing'. And unlike Dumbledore, we will not be giving you enigmatic cues. We will be giving the relevant information, in full detail, exactly when you need it. And we will be giving you the company of people who truly understand you._ "

" _Ronald may have been born in a less-than-well-off family, but he was brought up in love. He envies what he believes he is entitled to, though he has a good heart beneath. Until Hogwarts, he never knew true suffering_ ," the Sorrow said. " _And Hermione was brought up by loving parents. She is more understanding, but even so, she has never known true sorrow, at least until Dumbledore perished. Sirius Black has fallen through the Veil, never to return. Remus Lupin is dead, along with his wife. Ironically, Severus Snape, although he understood you more than anyone else, could never divest himself of the hatred he felt towards you. His helping you was grudging, out of the honour of the memory of your mother._ "

" _If you accept, go tomorrow to the Savoy Hotel in London. Ask to see a man called Adam Smith. He is our son, and we will speak to him to tell you we're coming. When you meet him, he will ask 'Who are the Patriots?' The answer is 'La Li Lu Le Lo'._ " The Boss looked at Harry. " _It is entirely up to you. There is no prophecy, no railway track of fate holding you to this course. Just the request of a couple of shades whose time is long since past, but whose regrets linger._ "

* * *

Harry was already regretting deciding to accept their offer. He had been directed to Adam Smith's room the next day. The man who opened the door was in his fifties, with a distinctive moustache that made him look like something out of the Wild West. He did vaguely resembled the Boss and the Sorrow, though there was a glint in the man's eyes that reminded Harry, disturbingly, of Bellatrix Lestrange.

The man let him into the hotel room when Harry gave the password (a bizarre one as far as Harry were concerned: what the hell did the Patriots have to do with those syllables?). There was a predatory grace in the way the man moved. "So, my parents saw fit to send the Boy Who Lived my way, huh?" the man said in a rasping voice, tinged with an American drawl that sounded straight out of a Western.

"You know who I am? I mean, aside from your parents?"

Adam Smith chuckled humourlessly. "Many of the more secretive mercenary and special forces organisations have at least one freak in them." Harry scowled at the use of the term, something the Dursleys had used. "Oh don't be offended, Harry Potter. Magic users are quite prized in our world. But few would dare treat with Muggle organisations like ours. In any case, if you are a freak, then so am I. I inherited some small amount of my father's powers, of his ability to speak with the dead(2). I knew a man who could project electricity from his body. Bastard was my own CO back when I worked for the Soviets. And the Cobra Unit, the unit my parents were part of…well, let's just say they were the most normal members of the unit."

Harry nodded. The Boss and the Sorrow told him about the Pain, the Fear, the End, and the Fury. All of them more than a little bizarre.

"As much as I'd like to recruit you for the organisation I currently work for, I don't think you are ready, boy. But I still have contacts. An old friend of mine, although he's more of an enemy now, would gladly welcome you into FoxHOUND. He'd be certainly willing to take a recommendation from me, despite our enmity." He handed a card over to Harry. "Go to this address. Ask for Benedict McDonnell Miller. Tell 'Kaz' that Ocelot sends his regards."

"Who's Ocelot?"

Adam Smith grinned. "I am. It has been my codename for over three decades. I know something about what you've been through, Harry Potter. You have the potential, but it will be in FoxHOUND that you will be truly shaped into the stuff of legend. Maybe you can help fulfil my mother's dream…"

Harry left the hotel room in disquiet. Even so, he had taken the first step on a long and winding road. One that would leave him, and the world, changed forever…

 **CHAPTER 1 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **And here we have it. The first chapter of** ** _Broken Tools_** **. I originally had Ocelot being in Grimmauld Place, but decided to have the Boss and the Sorrow instead. I couldn't resist having him appear, though. Ocelot's probably doing some arms deal for Big Boss and Zanzibar Land when he met Harry, hence staying at the Savoy. Everyone knows that arms deals that need to be inconspicuous are held in luxury hotels. And yes, I am making Ocelot aware of his parentage. As far as I know, it's left ambiguous in the games.**

 **It'll be a few chapters at least before we get to the events of** ** _Metal Gear Solid_** **. There's a reason for that. Although Harry won't get involved with the events of** ** _Metal Gear 2_** **(beyond sitting in mission control with Miller), a vital meeting that leads to the main ship of this story will happen. Namely, how Harry met Wolf. That's right. If you didn't pay attention to the shipping tags, this is a Harry/Sniper Wolf ship.**

 **1\. Given that both the original** ** _Metal Gear_** **and the first parts of** ** _The Order of the Phoenix_** **are set in 1995, this is how I referred to it.**

 **2\. I am of the opinion that Liquid Snake WAS genuinely possessing Ocelot in** ** _Metal Gear Solid 2_** **, and given the revelations in** ** _Metal Gear Solid 3_** **about his parentage (I've also heard there are hints in _Metal Gear Solid V_ that he has his father's power to some degree), it's not that big a leap to put it in.**


	3. Chapter 2: The Griffin and the Wolf

**CHAPTER 2:**

 **THE GRIFFIN AND THE WOLF**

 _Five years later…_

There were many pleasant ways to wake up in the morning, and being naked in bed with a very beautiful woman was certainly one of them. Harry woke up as his bedmate sat up in bed. He got a very nice view of her back as she did so, her blonde hair a golden cascade down to her neck. "Morning, Wolf," Harry said with a lazy smile.

Sniper Wolf, FoxHOUND's top sniper, looked over her shoulder at Harry, and smirked. "Enjoying the view, Griffin?"

"It's a very nice view," Harry said. "One that should be savoured. Of course, you are one of those people for which there is no bad view."

Wolf chuckled, before she clambered out of his bed. Technically, fraternisation between members of FoxHOUND was forbidden. However, their current leader, Liquid Snake, tended to look the other way. Ocelot, Raven, and Octopus thought it sweet (thought Octopus lamented that he wasn't getting any), while Mantis believed it yet another vindication of how disgusting he thought the urge to reproduce was.

Harry thought it odd that he knew none of the real names of everyone here, save for Ocelot, whose name was Adamska (and he didn't know the last name). But then again, only Liquid and Ocelot knew his real name, which was a refreshing change in a way. It felt like he was here on his own merits, and not on those of the fame-tainted name of Harry Potter.

Here, his name wasn't Harry Potter, even if he referred to himself as such in the privacy of his own head. Here, his name was Thaumaturge Griffin, usually Griffin for short. FoxHOUND had pretty weird nomenclature for their codenames: with the exception of Liquid Snake, the first part was a reference to their speciality, particularly in combat situations.

Ocelot had gained the moniker 'Revolver', as his main combat specialty was using those damned Single Action Army revolvers of his. Harry had to admire the man's marksmanship, though: he had apparently been practising using revolvers for nearly five decades now. The Boss had told Harry that it had come about because Big Boss, then called Naked Snake, had beaten the crap out of a young Ocelot, and then praised his marksmanship, but pointed out that he should use a revolver instead of a semiautomatic pistol. Ocelot had taken those words to heart. He was also the interrogation specialist of the group.

Vulcan Raven wielded, in combat, a massive Gatling gun (well, M61 Vulcan cannon, to be more precise), normally meant for aircraft. When Harry asked him about this, Raven had merely remarked, " _Subtlety is a thing for philosophy, not combat. If you're going to kill someone, you might as well kill them a whole lot(_ _1)_." The Inuit shaman was certainly big and strong enough to wield it. Plus, he was easily the smartest man in FoxHOUND. Harry actually enjoyed philosophical conversations with the man.

Psycho Mantis lived up to his codename in two different ways. True, he not far from unhinged, but he was also a powerful psychic. Harry found, though, that Occlumency kept Mantis out. Which was good, as he preferred to keep his secrets. Even so, Mantis was intrigued by Harry's magic.

Decoy Octopus wasn't much of a combatant. As his name suggested, he was actually meant to be a master of disguise rather than a fighter. When he learned of the existence of Polyjuice Potion, his initial reaction was to call it cheating. And then, he promptly asked how to make it. He was, along with Harry, the resident prankster of FoxHOUND.

And, of course, there was his lover, Sniper Wolf. A young Kurd, albeit of European descent, she had gone through a worse hell than even Harry had, though they had shared sympathies for each other for being child soldiers, as well as a respect for their mentors, despite putting them onto a more bloodstained path: Dumbledore for Harry, and Big Boss for Wolf.

Her specialty was fairly obvious: she was a sniper, and a damned good one too. She could stay still for days at a time, waiting for her quarry to emerge. She needed no spotter, though she trusted Harry at times to act as one on missions. She had a diazepam addiction, born out of a need to keep her hands steady while using her signature PSG-1 rifle. As if to complete the aptness of her codename, she had a pet wolf called Berthold, whom Harry was sure was more intelligent than the average wolf(2).

And then, there was their glorious (Harry laughed inwardly at the term) leader, Liquid Snake. Harry had met the famous Solid Snake a couple of times when he first joined FoxHOUND, both times during the Zanzibar Land incident in 1999. Harry sat in with McDonnell Miller, and watched as the Hell Master, as Miller was known to his students, dispensed advice to Snake. Before and after the mission, Harry had met Snake. He had found the man a bit brusque, but decent enough. Snake had called him a 'greenhorn' and a 'rookie', at least until he had been blasted back by a Banishing charm. The look on Snake's face had been priceless, and Miller took them to a beer.

Harry had told Snake a little of his past. The older man (Snake was only about 27, admittedly(3)) thought Harry too young to become a soldier, but admitted that he was irrevocably committed to that path.

Miller, for a time, took Harry under his wing. Miller was far from happy that it had been Ocelot who had sent Harry to him: Miller alluded to something of a falling-out between them in the Eighties, and he didn't like to go by his birth name of 'Kazuhira' anymore(4). But Miller got over his qualms, and had taught Harry much.

FoxHOUND at that time was more like a family. He remembered the paternal features of Colonel Roy Campbell, the CO at the time. Whereas now, FoxHOUND was smaller, and while closer to a nuclear family, was a dysfunctional one. Not so bad as to be argumentative, but many of the relationships were cold. To tell the truth, Harry was probably the only member to be on good terms with most of them, save for Liquid.

Liquid was cold, aloof, and arrogant. He reminded Harry of Draco Malfoy, only Liquid Snake could back up his words with actions, Harry had to give him that much. He definitely could have been Solid Snake's twin. In fact, Liquid had already told Harry of _Les Enfants Terrible_ , the project designed to clone Big Boss. Solid and Liquid Snake, the progeny of Big Boss, but artificial progeny indeed.

Liquid resented his genes. Even when Harry managed to clear up the misconception that recessive genes didn't necessarily make them inferior genes (for someone with a supposed IQ of 180, he had major blind spots when it came to biology, so Harry thought he either had some psychological thing about equating recessive genes with inferiority, or else someone lied about his IQ(5)), he hated the fact that he was related to Big Boss, that he had been robbed of his chance to commit patricide by Solid Snake. He also hated the fact that his creators had apparently tinkered enough with his genes that he would probably prematurely age.

There were few good things you could say about Liquid Snake. The first was, despite his blindspots in anything to do with biology, he was a good tactician and an excellent pilot. The second was that he appreciated Harry's abilities, albeit in his cold manner. And finally, he reckoned that much of Magical Britain were a bunch of idiots who were stuck in the Dark Ages.

Harry had to agree with that. Hermione, admittedly, was very much a driving force in trying to better the lot of both Muggleborn wizards, and of various magical creatures, especially house elves. She was one of the few from his old life he kept in remotely regular contact with. Sadly, his friendship with Ron never completely recovered, and their relationship, while not bad, was a bit cool. In fact, it was better with Ginny, who had not only signed onto the Hollyhead Harpies, but had also begun dating a player on another Quidditch team.

Even so, the Magical World resisted change. Magical Britain was one of the more conservative countries in the Magical World, but it was far from the only one to resist change. And Harry was glad he was out of it. _The Daily Prophet_ ran a monthly feature, _Whatever Happened to the Boy Who Lived?_ , and had speculation running from him becoming a new Dark Lord, to working as a secret Auror for Kingsley Shacklebolt, the current Minister. One bit of speculation actually seemed close to the truth: that he had joined a secretive Muggle military group, though no details were given, and the tone suggested that the writer of the article (still one Rita Skeeter) didn't believe that rumour one jot.

Harry was brought out of his reverie when Wolf exited the bathroom. A beautiful, statuesque woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, you wouldn't know she was a Kurd just to look at her. She didn't speak much about her parents (and indeed, only discussed her childhood in broad terms), though she admitted her mother came from Europe. Even now, she didn't bother covering herself with the towel, but that spoke more about their being comfortable around each other.

Most of the time, she was cold and ruthless in battle. Harry considered it a privilege to know the woman beneath that, the heart buried deep within the assassin. That being said, both Harry and Wolf were annoyed at a betting pool involving them: Wolf was known for becoming obsessed with her targets, all but falling in love with her so-called 'special prey' before she killed them. Ocelot was recently declared the victor: he was the only one who bet on Harry lasting for more than a year with Wolf.

"The shower's free, Griffin," Wolf said with a smile. "We shouldn't be late. We have the weekly intelligence briefing, and Raven has heard a rumour that there's something big happening."

"Did a little bird tell him?" Harry asked wryly as he got up. It was a running joke: Raven was said to speak to ravens himself. Luckily, the gigantic Inuit shaman had a good sense of humour.

"Of sorts. Rumour has it that the Americans are reviving the Metal Gear project."

Harry scoffed. "Seriously?"

"Seriously. So go get showered. We'll have breakfast, and then we'll get to the briefing."

* * *

As Harry went through his ablutions, he thought of Metal Gear. It was, supposedly, the ultimate weapon: an all-terrain walking battletank, capable of firing a nuke from any place in the world. The initial designs were of one Granin, a Russian weapons designer. Ocelot had known Granin, as well as Granin's rival, Sokolov, who had developed a similar all-terrain nuke-firing tank, the Shagohod, albeit one that could have been created by tech at the time. Sokolov would create the first Metal Gear, albeit a four-legged tank with rockets, while further iterations were created by other scientists, including Dr Strangelove, Dr Huey Emmerich, and Dr Madnar.

Most of what he knew about Metal Gear, besides what he saw during the Zanzibar Land incident, he learned from Ocelot. He also learned from the Boss and the Sorrow, who were able to bring others from the other side to talk to him. Chief amongst them was Dr Strangelove herself, an albino AI genius who had had an obsession with the Boss.

Of those in FoxHOUND, the only ones who knew he could speak with the dead were Ocelot, Raven, and Wolf. In fact, Harry was able to allow her to talk to one of her idols, the Cobra known only as the End, as well as a sniper who had worked with Big Boss, Quiet.

So, the American government were potentially reviving Metal Gear? It seemed a bit odd, in this age of nuclear disarmament, even with the War on Terror going on. There must be something that Metal Gear could offer. Assuming the rumour was true. Of course, he'd sooner believe a rumour from Vulcan Raven than from almost everyone else here, especially Ocelot.

He finished with his shower, and emerged to get dressed. Wolf was already dressed in her customary snug grey combat uniform. He took a leaf out of the Sorrow's book to a degree, wearing a black turtleneck and grey trousers, with a suit jacket over the top of that. When he first chose that look, Ocelot had joked that it was very 'Ilya Kuryakin(6)'.

He no longer wore glasses, wearing contacts instead.

"Come on," Wolf said. "Let's get breakfast. I can hear Psycho Mantis bitching at us already for last night."

"Hey, if he hears us while we're in the bedroom, then he probably needs a new gasmask," Harry snarked. "Though how something that covers only his face could block people's thoughts, I have no idea. Unless it's a psychological crutch or something."

As they walked through the door, they heard the distinctive rasping tones of said colleague. "It is not my mask that's at fault, but the entire world for going at it like rabbits."

Harry rolled his eyes. "This coming from the man who dresses up like something out of a BDSM fantasy," he snarked at Mantis.

"Funny," Mantis said without any humour whatsoever. He did look like some sort of BDSM victim, what with his black bodysuit hugging his emaciated body, and the gasmask. "Your mental shields are impressive, Griffin, but they'll avail you naught against a bit of pyrokinesis. Fire does have a tendency to solve things."

"And to set off the sprinkler system," Harry retorted. "So…breakfast?"

"If I must. Damn, I need some coffee…"

 **CHAPTER 2 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **And there you have it: Harry's life in FoxHOUND. And in case the pairing didn't tip you off, he's got Sniper Wolf as a lover.**

 **A bit of the characterisation and references will be taken from** ** _The Last Days of FoxHOUND_** **. That's a hilarious webcomic (albeit with a crude art style) by Chris Doucette that, sadly, is non-canon thanks to** ** _Metal Gear Solid 4_** **and 5. However, it's worth a look, very funny, but also, thanks to language and violence, NSFW. No sex though, just some crude sexual references and language, especially from Ocelot and Mantis.**

 **I'm amazed at how many reviews I got already with just one chapter, so I might as well answer them now.** **Mangahero18** **: You'll note that I didn't quite spoil the entire game. But here, there be spoilers.**

 **diagonalpumpkin** **: I think I read one or two of those so-called 'Military Harry' works, but they never quite appealed to me. I do like the idea of Harry joining some unusual military or pseudomilitary group, with FoxHOUND being probably at the more mundane end of the spectrum.**

 **1\. Raven says this in** ** _The Last Days of FoxHOUND_** **when he is accused of overkill with his Vulcan gun.**

 **2\. Berthold is a character from** ** _The Last Days of FoxHOUND_** **. In the webcomic, he's actually capable of telepathic conversations, though I'm probably not going to do that here.**

 **3\. I'm sure Snake was born in 1972, and** ** _Metal Gear 2_** **is set in 1999.**

 **4\. I think Miller adopted the name 'McDonnel Benedict' to distance himself from his life as 'Kaz' after the events of** ** _The Phantom Pain_** **. That's my personal fanon, anyway.**

 **5\. I reckon someone lied about his IQ. Liquid isn't actually stupid, but he makes such an egregious error about genetics that you have to wonder.**

 **6\. I mean the original, played by David McCallum, now more famous for play Dr Mallard, aka 'Ducky', in** ** _NCIS_** **. For those of you who don't know who Ilya Kuryakin is, he was a Russian agent and one of the main characters in the TV series (recently turned into a film)** ** _The Man from U.N.C.L.E_** **.**


	4. Chapter 3: Briefing

**CHAPTER 3:**

 **BRIEFING**

 _Three years earlier…_

The first meeting between Harry Potter and Sniper Wolf wasn't a fully auspicious one. After Roy Campbell retired from FoxHOUND, the only 'senior' operative to stay was Harry himself. Miller left, and Solid Snake had long since retired to the Alaskan wilderness. In fact, the only staff members Harry really knew well were Dr Clark and her protégé, Dr Naomi Hunter. Harry wasn't sure of what to make either of them. Both were really smart, and to be fair, Dr Clark was a movie nut who loved a lot of old horror and science fiction films. She had once talked to Harry about a diatribe Big Boss had once had about the Bond films, only for her CO at the time, Major Zero, to turn it back against him. But Clark had this strange…untrustworthiness about her. And Naomi was somewhat cool and clinical. Harry could see the pain of loss within Naomi's eyes. She had joined only a couple of years ago, a year after the Zanzibar Land incident. He decided not to pry.

Liquid Snake and Revolver Ocelot had joined, with the former becoming the CO of FoxHOUND. They had used their contacts to bring in a number of former mercenaries to form the new core operatives of FoxHOUND. Vulcan Raven and Psycho Mantis were the first to be brought in. Raven knew Ocelot, and had apparently worked at Outer Heaven, though he left, on the orders of Big Boss' body double, and joined the real Big Boss at Zanzibar Land. Then, he left Big Boss' employ and became a mercenary. Psycho Mantis was known by both Liquid and Ocelot, having first encountered them both in 1984. Liquid greeted the psychotic psychic as an old friend, and even a brother. Truth be told, Psycho Mantis seemed to be the only person Liquid treated like a friend.

Harry was in the library, reading, when Raven came in, showing a blonde-haired woman around. "Ah," he said, upon seeing Harry. "This is good. Wolf, this is Thaumaturge Griffin. Griffin, this is Sniper Wolf, the latest addition to FoxHOUND."

Harry smiled, and then got to his feet, offering his hand. The young woman took it, but he noted by the frown that she didn't know what to make of him. "Good afternoon, Wolf," Harry said. "You're the new sharpshooter, then?"

Wolf nodded, before she turned to Raven. "He seems rather young to be in FoxHOUND."

That was rich, considering that she seemed not much older than he was: late twenties at most. He rolled his eyes, and said, "It's experience that counts, as I'm sure you're aware. I presume you have some experience on the battlefield."

"More than you, little boy," she retorted.

Oh, that sounded so much like Fleur, if Fleur Delacour had a Middle-Eastern accent rather than a French one. _Leetle boy_ , she had called him. "Orphaned at one by a terrorist. Effectively recruited by a meddling old fart who began indoctrinating me to become his soldier from the age of eleven. Killed someone before I was twelve. Became head of my own army at fifteen. Killed the man who murdered my parents before I was eighteen."

Wolf blinked. "What?"

"That was my life. Okay, it's in pretty broad terms, and I may not have had it as bad as you. But I know what it's like to be a soldier, and from a young age," Harry said, a frosty edge tingeing his voice.

"And what skills could you offer, hmm?" Wolf asked archly. "What is a 'thaumaturge', anyway?"

Harry gave a vicious grin, before allowing his wand to slide from the wrist holster and having her in a quick Body Bind. She froze, then toppled to the ground like a felled tree. "A thaumaturge is…well, as the old song goes, 'do you believe in magic'? Basically, I'm a wizard. And that's only one of my tricks."

"Griffin, as amusing as that was, would you mind releasing her?" Raven asked.

"Sure. _Finite_."

Wolf instantly got to her feet, and kicked the wand from his grasp, before shoving him against a bookshelf, a knife in her hand and against his throat. "Can you do anything without your wand?" she hissed.

"Yeah. _Depulsio_."

Wolf was flung away from him by the Banishing Charm. Thankfully, he only put enough power to make her slide backwards a few metres on her buttocks. She glared at him, while he only smirked. "Most mages _would_ be useless without a wand. They're idiots and sheep. I am _not_ a sheep."

Wolf spat out a curse in what was probably Kurdish. Then, with an effort, she calmed herself, before walking towards him, and caressing his cheek. "So, you think you are good, do you?" Suddenly, with a vicious gesture, she gouged a rather nasty scratch into his cheek.

"Oh, damn," Raven remarked, facepalming.

"Okay, I went a little overboard with the demonstration," Harry said, clutching his bleeding cheek. "But wasn't that pretty overboard too?"

"You don't understand, Griffin," Raven said. "Wolf just marked you…as her special prey."

"Indeed," Wolf purred. "Until I kill you…you're all I will think about."

Harry blinked. There was only one thing to say to that. "Okay, _definitely_ overboard."

* * *

Thankfully, after a rocky start, Harry graduated from 'special prey' to 'lover and comrade'. It helped that, after that shaky beginning, Harry gave Wolf a gift of Omnioculars. Good binoculars are a boon to any sniper, and the magical binoculars astonished Wolf. And then, Harry pranked her with some stuff he had received from George Weasley.

What began as a potential duel to the death degenerated into a pranking war that sometimes hit other members of FoxHOUND. Wolf had an impish streak in her awakened by the pranking war, and sometimes, she would have Berthold leap onto Harry snarling. After the second time it happened, Harry took to Transfiguring Berthold into a plush wolf toy. Sniper Wolf was amused, but Berthold wasn't, though Harry could swear that the wolf looked highly amused when Harry swapped out the bag of Psycho Mantis' very expensive custom-bred coffee beans(1) with rather cheap ones…and Mantis couldn't tell the difference. Though he tried setting Harry on fire when he found out.

Ocelot and Octopus seemed the most amused by the Great FoxHOUND Prank War, as it became known as. Indeed, they joined on the action, mainly to annoy Mantis: Ocelot, who was able to use Occlumency (or at least his own, self-taught version of it) to prevent Mantis from reading his mind, told Mantis that maybe he had poured a jar of his urine into Mantis' coffee jug, or maybe he hadn't. Either way, Mantis would be tortured because he wouldn't know for sure. The expletives the Russian-born psychic emitted were impressive, to say the least(2).

Eventually, between Harry and Wolf, mutual irritation gave way to mutual respect, and even attraction, and all that was needed was the right spark to get it out into the open.

It was Wolf who made the first real move. He had been having a shower in the men's shower room off the gym after a hard period of training when she entered the shower room. He was naked. And so was she.

" _I've got you now_ ," she had said. " _Let's see how well you fight while naked._ "

It was a strange fight to say the least. In retrospect, it was more like some bizarre courting ritual. And Harry had been trying to ignore his ever-growing excitement during the battle, and not the sort of excitement one normally would get during a battle. It ended up with Wolf straddling him on the ground. Not in that way. At least not at first. Of course, that had changed by the time Decoy Octopus walked in about ten minutes later. Not that they noticed for at least a minute.

From then on, Harry and Wolf were lovers.

And now, here they were in FoxHOUND's briefing room, following Mantis. Ocelot was giving them a smirk, and Raven an understated but warm smile. Liquid had his usual aloof look to him, dressed in his habitual 'uniform' of a trenchcoat, trousers, boots, and nothing else. The man was a narcissist, Harry reflected. He was like a Malfoy with pecs.

Octopus rushed in at the last minute, saying his alarm clock broke. Liquid gave him a glare, but otherwise made no comment, beyond saying, "Now that we are all here, with the exception of Dr Clarke and Dr Hunter, we can get on with the briefing. I have been notified by DARPA and Armstech that they have begun construction on a new iteration of Metal Gear, codenamed Metal Gear REX."

"Isn't Armstech's boss the one who has been giving kickbacks to Donald Anderson under the table?" Harry asked.

"Yeah. Kenneth Baker," Ocelot said. "He's an unabashed war profiteer whose time has passed. And Armstech is apparently in financial trouble. This seems to be their big roll of the dice with Metal Gear. I guess I shouldn't be surprised Anderson agreed to it, even without the bribes. I've known him long before he became the chief of DARPA."

"Right," Harry said. "He used to be Major Zero's SIGINT officer and quartermaster back in FOX, wasn't he?"

Ocelot had gotten used to Harry knowing these things, knowing that his father had a connection to Harry. The other members of FoxHOUND had also gotten used to it. Raven and Wolf both knew Harry could speak to the dead.

"We have been told that FoxHOUND will be brought in as security consultants. Most of the security duties will be carried out by the Next Generation Special Forces," Liquid said.

"The VR Troopers?" Harry asked. "Video game soldiers?"

"DARPA believes them adequate," Liquid said with a sneer. "When the time comes for REX to be tested, which may not be for a few years, we will be brought in actively to the development base, which is Shadow Moses Island, a warhead storage and disposal facility."

"What's so special about this new Metal Gear?" Wolf asked. "Have they made sure one soldier with a rocket launcher can't blow it to pieces?"

Liquid scowled at the oblique mention of his brother, Solid Snake. "DARPA and Armstech haven't quite given me those assurances, or any specs, beyond the hyperbole of calling it the ultimate Metal Gear."

Ocelot, who had taken the papers Liquid had been consulting, chuckled. "I'll be damned. They've got Huey's son in charge of design!"

"Huey? You mean Huey Emmerich?" Harry asked, remembering what the Sorrow and Ocelot had told him about the man, as well as the ghost of his wife, Dr Strangelove.

"Yeah. Apparently his son, Hal, is a naïve little twit, but a genius when it comes to robotics. He's an anime nut, an otaku. Hell, he even calls himself 'Otacon' online. I thought they'd bring him on. It was either that, or winkle Dr Madnar from that Eastern European bolthole he crawled to after Snake nearly killed him in Zanzibar Land(3)."

Psycho Mantis looked at Ocelot. "Actually, Madnar's been in correspondence with Dr Clarke on that Cybersoldier project. You do know the unfortunate zombie they've revived."

Harry frowned. He didn't actually, and he said as much to Mantis.

Mantis laughed, a cracked braying sound given an eerie, hollow nature by his gasmask. "So the great Thaumaturge Griffin doesn't know everything? Ha! Apparently they've taken another guy from Zanzibar Land who should be dead and revived him. Frank Jaeger."

Harry's eyes widened. "Gray Fox?! They brought him back from the dead? Oh, the Sorrow ain't going to like that!" Which he wouldn't be. Then again, Harry knew something just about everyone else here, barring Ocelot, didn't: there were three survivors of Zanzibar Land who had been considered dead. Aside from Dr Madnar, who managed to get medical attention before fleeing the fortress state, and now Gray Fox, who seemed to be Dr Clarke's guinea pig on her Cybersoldier project, there was none other than Big Boss, albeit horribly burned and in an induced coma. He'd berate Solid Snake for not doing a confirmation kill, but at the time, Snake, having lost his equipment, had been forced to improvise with a can of hairspray and a lighter.

"I don't give a fuck about a ghost's opinions," Mantis said, his voice suggesting that he was grinning behind his gasmask.

"Focus!" Liquid barked. "FoxHOUND will be retained as security consultants throughout the development and construction of Metal Gear REX. That means we will have to go to Alaska regularly. No complaints. Especially from you, Octopus! I'm the commanding officer of this unit, not a babysitter."

"Could've fooled me," Harry murmured to Wolf. She smirked.

"We'll discuss further plans as time goes on," Liquid said. "Anyway, Metal Gear REX is only the first item to be discussed…"

The rest of the briefing meeting was frankly somewhat boring. Even Liquid, who was chairing it, found it boring, but then again, what news could compare to the reveal of a new Metal Gear?

* * *

He had his own training room, as did everyone else in FoxHOUND (though there was a communal gym for physical exercise). He used it to train in combat, whether unarmed or armed (knives, guns, or wands), and he used his, like Raven, to meditate, to keep his Occlumency barriers up, and to talk to the Sorrow, and the other unquiet dead, in private.

As predicted, the Sorrow looked pissed. And considering the man usually had an expression of both sorrow and understated joy on his face, that was an impressive feat. " _They have wrenched a soul back from the grave, and put it back into a broken body?!_ " he raged.

"I…don't know the full details," Harry said. "I went to talk to Dr Clarke about it, and she wouldn't give me much in the way of straight answers, though she did say that they used prototype gene therapy to prepare him for the Cybersoldier project. He's in an induced coma in some sort of vat while they graft the exoskeleton onto him. Actually, Naomi didn't look pleased. She kept on shooting Clarke dirty looks. And I don't think it was because it's a pretty nasty experiment, either. It's like she knew Frank Jaeger."

" _She did. Frank Jaeger was her adoptive brother._ " Harry boggled at that, while the Sorrow continued. " _While I am not omniscient, I still see much, and Jaeger and Big Boss fascinated me. Sadly, during battles in Rhodesia, before it became Zimbabwe, Jaeger killed her parents. He found her, starving, and regretted what had happened, so he adopted her. She's unaware of the truth about his killing her parents._ "

"And yet, she's working for FoxHOUND, the same people who killed her brother," Harry mused.

" _She wants revenge, preferably on Solid Snake. She also wants to save her brother. She will walk down a dark path. This is why I have brought you here, Harry. To make sure things turn out for the better. And soon, you will have the true beginning of your task here. Soon, it shall truly begin…_ "

 **CHAPTER 3 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, a bit about how Wolf met Harry, and how they became lovers, a briefing for FoxHOUND, and some ominous foreshadowing from the Sorrow. Next chapter will be how Harry gets caught up in the escape of Gray Fox, and the death of Dr Clarke.**

 **Review-answering time! A couple of these I've already answered in private correspondence, but I'll give them publicly here.** **knightblazer85** **: Although Harry's more of a wild card with his magic, he actually acts (thanks to the Cloak of Invisibility, as well as stealth skills) as their infiltration expert, like Solid Snake, Gray Fox, or Big Boss. He's also sometimes a spotter for Wolf.**

 **coduss** **: Wolf will definitely survive, and Liquid and Mantis will definitely bite the dust. As for anyone else, I don't know yet.**

 **MEleesmasher** **: This story itself will go up to the end of** ** _Metal Gear Solid_** **at least. If I do continue into the sequels, it will be in separate stories.**

 **Marksman2** **: For how Harry met Wolf, well, see above.**

 **diagonalpumpkin** **: She will, have no fear about that. It will be a rocky road though. And while Harry doesn't believe he's better than anyone because he has magic, it doesn't stop him from using it to take people down a peg or two.**

 **1\. Another reference to** ** _The Last Days of FoxHOUND_** **. In page 113, Mantis tells Scratch, a hacker working for FoxHOUND (and who wants his coffee) that he commissioned the coffee specially rather than ordering it, and that he robbed two banks to make sure he had a lifetime's supply. He doesn't like sharing it.**

 **2\. In addition to the above, this is also a reference to** ** _The Last Days of FoxHOUND_** **, page 120 to be precise. Of course, in that strip, Mantis merely utters a venomous "** ** _Goddamnit_** **."**

 **3\. A reference to how Dr Madnar apparently survived the events of** ** _Metal Gear 2_** **in order to be able to help Raiden in** ** _Metal Gear Solid 4_** **. That's also why I mentioned he was corresponding with Dr Clarke on the Cybersoldier project (aka the Cyborg Ninja).**


	5. Chapter 4: Naomi's Choice

**CHAPTER 4:**

 **NAOMI'S CHOICE**

 _A year later_ …

It was hard, being alone, while his lover was in Alaska. The only others of the FoxHOUND unit proper still here were Ocelot and Octopus. He knew the former was up to something. Ocelot had been visiting Dr Hunter…no, _Naomi_ , for quite a while now.

Harry had, upon being encouraged by the Sorrow, approached the aloof scientist. He eventually managed to break the ice, and the two were even friends. Wolf knew better than to be jealous: Harry wasn't interested in anything more than friendship with Naomi, and if anything, Naomi wasn't interested in anything more either. While annoyed at his magic and his tendency to prank, Naomi did welcome someone who actually had an interest in science, despite using magic.

Of course, it didn't make it any more easier to break the news about what her brother did. In fact, she had thrown test tubes at him when he finally told her. Of course, before then, she had to get used to the idea she could speak to ghosts

Once she had calmed down, she had looked at him, and asked, " _Why did you tell me this? I would have preferred to live in ignorance!_ "

" _Because despite what he did, he loved you. He would endure anything for your love._ _ **Anything.**_ " He had looked meaningfully at the door leading to the room where Gray Fox was floating in that tank, the last of the cybernetic grafts having been finally added. " _When they bring him back to life, properly, maybe you can talk it out._ "

Naomi didn't trust herself to be in the room when Gray Fox was revived, albeit heavily drugged. Dr Clarke, however, made sure Harry was there, just in case.

Harry couldn't help but watch what happened in horror. Gray Fox was certainly brought back to life, but he was a shell of his former self. He went through the tests of his reflexes and strength automatically (Harry was surprised and impressed that he could dodge a bullet with ease), but whatever soul was in that fusion of meat and metal, it was damaged. Not in the same way making a Horcrux would damage the soul, but presumably in the way that a soul snatched from beyond the grave would be damaged. His eyes looked dead, as did his expression.

Only when Harry whispered to him, shortly before he was placed back into stasis, that his sister would be taking care of him, did he see something of the man come forth. Frank Jaeger had whispered a hoarse ' _thank you_ ', before he was drowned once more in the medical grade breathing liquid of the stasis tank.

It was a year after learning that Gray Fox was the test subject for the Cybersoldier project (now colloquially named the 'Cyborg Ninja' project) that Harry, at a loose end (what with Wolf in Alaska, and things pretty quiet and boring in FoxHOUND), went for a walk. As he went to a park that he habitually strolled through, however, he saw two people, talking furtively. Ocelot, and Naomi.

Instantly, he drew the Cloak of Invisibility from the special pocket he had created, and wrapped it around himself. The pockets of his clothing had expansion charms on them so that he could keep larger things in them easily, the Cloak being one of them. He donned it, and then moved closer as stealthily as he could.

"…be here any minute," Ocelot was saying. "She's taking something of a risk coming here, so close to HQ."

"And why would I be interested in anything your… _friend_ has to say to me?"

"Because I know how much Dr Clarke's little project in applied necromancy hurt you. I know you're Jaeger's adopted sister, Hunter. I worked with Grey Fox and Big Boss…for years. I admire Dr Clarke, but she's been dangling from the strings of the Patriots for years, and she's lost her way. So has Anderson. In a way, we all have been." Ocelot's eyes flickered over to where Harry was. "Come and join the party, Griffin."

Harry remained silent, until Ocelot strode over, and took the Cloak of Invisibility off him. "Dad gave me an ability to 'see' through such things. Plus, I saw you enter the park. You may have ability, but I have experience, cunning, and treachery."

"You'd make a good Slytherin, then," Harry snarked.

"I'd eat those dipshits alive if I ever attended Hogwarts," Ocelot sneered. "Only a few in Slytherin would make it very far in the GRU, not to mention under Volgin's command."

"True enough," came the voice of a woman, who came striding through the trees. An older woman emerged, a glamorous, well-preserved woman dressed in a jacket showing her neckline, riding boots, and trousers.

Harry recognised her, though, as the Sorrow had described her before, and Ocelot had told tales about her. "You're EVA?"

"I used to be," the woman said. "And you are Harry Potter, now Thaumaturge Griffin."

"Is that his real name?" Naomi asked.

"It was," Harry said. Well, it still was, but the Boy Who Lived had been left behind in Britain. "You've heard of it?"

"Should I have?" Naomi asked.

"Not if you aren't magical," Harry said. "I was infamous before I was out of nappies because I survived an instant-death curse when my parents didn't, and said curse, when rebounding, vanquished a wizard terrorist. My fame only grew from there, and I didn't even know about it until I was eleven. Until then, I was treated as a slave by my supposedly loving relatives."

"I'm sorry, Harry, but we haven't got time to hear even the abridged autobiography," EVA said. "Save it for when you're dying(1)."

"Been there. Done that. Bought the TV shirt saying 'I went to the King's Cross Station in the sky, and all I got was this lousy shirt'," Harry snarked.

"The afterlife looks like King's Cross Station?" Naomi asked.

"It did when I went there. Of course, to the Sorrow, it looks like the river he drowned in in Tselinoyarsk, but…"

"Please, Griffin, I need to discuss this with Dr Hunter." EVA then turned to Naomi. "We both know why you joined FoxHOUND. You want revenge for your brother."

Naomi nodded. "Especially Solid Snake."

Harry facepalmed. "Snake was following orders, as was your brother. They're soldiers, and soldiers fight each other all the time."

"Even if they were once comrades?!" Naomi snarled.

"Friends can become enemies in the blink of an eye," Harry said. "Especially where the Patriots are involved. That's why you're here, aren't you, EVA? The Sorrow told me about the little club Zero and Big Boss formed in the 70s, the club you, Ocelot, Clarke and Anderson joined. And of the schisms in it."

EVA gave Ocelot a mildly exasperated look. "We have _got_ to stop your parents gossiping."

"Look, according to my father, he's something called 'the Master of Death'. Basically, he's like my father now, only with a big destiny. That's why he wanted me to bring him into FoxHOUND," Ocelot explained. "Besides, both my parents are ghosts, and my mother was the best soldier of all time until she had to let Big Boss shoot her. If I ever tried to stop them from talking, my mother would find a way to kick my ass."

EVA chuckled. "Actually, I can believe that, having known her." She then turned her attention back to Naomi. "But he is right. Solid Snake may be the one who killed your brother, but he is not the one deserving your ire. They fought as warriors should, by all accounts. Our concern is with Dr Clarke. You've seen the fruits of her labours, dragging your brother back from the grave. A broken, hollow shell of himself, used as a guinea pig. We want her dead and her research crippled as much as you do."

"And my brother?" Naomi asked.

"I will give you the means to keep him safe and secure in your home," EVA said.

"Like a Disillusionment Spell?" Harry asked. "Or a Fidelius Charm?" Upon their bemused looks, Harry explained the spells.

Ocelot whistled. "Actually, we could put a Fidelius on Naomi's home. That'd make it a safe place for all of us, including Gray Fox. That'd be really handy. Anyway, are you in?"

"If it means keeping my brother safe…and avenging myself on Clarke…yes."

"And what of you, Griffin?" EVA asked. "Are you going to allow this?"

"I'm not happy about killing Dr Clarke. There are worse people than her in the world. But what she did to Gray Fox was diabolical. And you're going to do it whether I want it to happen or not." Harry crossed his arms. "I'll set up the Fidelius on Naomi's home. You go do what you need to do…"

* * *

Ocelot and Naomi went back to FoxHOUND HQ, while EVA and Harry went to Naomi's house, having made arrangements to meet in the park later. "So, who will be the Secret Keeper?" EVA asked, having absorbed Harry's earlier explanation.

"I will be. I'll have Naomi get her mail through a PO Box. Once I cast this, not even the postman will be able to find it." He frowned. "And any mail she can't remember to change the address to, I'll have to get the Post Office to send to a PO Box."

"You mean the USPS," EVA said. "You're still showing your British origins, Griffin. Or would you prefer Harry while we're in private?"

"Maybe. But only once we cast this."

He then went to work casting the Fidelius. After it settled, he then told EVA the address. "I have to tell you the address, even if you're currently in it. Now, not even Naomi knows where her own house is. I'll go and tell them."

* * *

A little over an hour later, Harry helped Naomi and Ocelot drag Gray Fox in. He had told them where to find Naomi's house (the irony not lost on Naomi herself), and now, they were supporting a very weary Cyborg Ninja. Ocelot had fiddled with the security tapes, and Naomi and Gray Fox had killed Dr Clarke perhaps more swiftly than they felt she deserved. They'd left her body to be consumed by the flames in the laboratory.

Naomi brought a vial of medicine from her pocket, stuck a syringe into it, and then jabbed it into a port on Gray Fox's arm. He needed regular doses of an anti-psychotic medicine to stay lucid, given his damaged brain.

As the drug took effect, Gray Fox, his ravaged face visible beneath his currently-open helmet, looked at Naomi. "Naomi…" he rasped, reaching out a mechanical hand to caress her face.

"Frank," Naomi said, closing her eyes, as tears welled up. "Why didn't you tell me about my parents? Why did I have to hear about it from Griffin?"

Frank's eyes widened in dismay, before he began to weep too. "Because I was afraid, Naomi. Afraid that you would hate me forever. I saw your parents staring out accusingly from your eyes. And rightly so."

"Frank…it's true that I would have hated you. But were all those years of love and care a lie?" Naomi asked. "No. Even if it was just your salving your conscience, you gave me a new life, a new opportunity. I wouldn't have hated you forever. It will be some time before I can forgive you, Frank…but if I wanted you punished…I would have left you to Dr Clarke."

Gray Fox nodded, solemnly. "And I would have deserved it. I deserve this…wretched half-life. I hoped that I fought for nothing but what I believed in…but I wonder, was it worth it?"

"That's a question I ask myself," Harry said quietly. "Like you, I was a child soldier, only I didn't know it was being done to me. I thought I was fighting for what I believed in, but when the war I was shaped to fight was over…I didn't know whether it was worth it. Too many good people died along with the bad. My mentor turned out to be a chessmaster, a man I thought was an enemy was infatuated with my mother but still hated me, and things just went more or less back to the status quo."

Frank's eyes went over to Harry. "I remember you. We had intelligence of the current personnel of FoxHOUND during the Zanzibar Land uprising. Harry Potter…you were sitting in with Miller."

Harry nodded. "Yeah. Sorry we had to meet like this. You know, with you being a technologically-revived revenant and all. The Sorrow's pissed about that."

"The Sorrow? Big Boss told me about him…" Gray Fox closed his eyes. "But what do I have in life now? Brought back from the grave against my will? In what can my soul find respite?"

"…Origami?"

Gray Fox's eyes snapped open. "Snake!"

"What do you mean, Snake?"

"I have been brought back. If it has no purpose now that Clarke is dead, then I will make a purpose: a rematch against Solid Snake. Only in that can my soul find respite, only in that can I feel truly alive again. I will kill him, or he will kill me. It makes no difference."

Harry, Naomi, Ocelot and EVA shared a look. Eventually, Harry summed up what they were all thinking. "I think you definitely need a hobby…"

 **CHAPTER 4 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Hope this was enjoyable. There may be a further time-skip, up to just before Shadow Moses. I haven't decided yet.**

 **1\. A reference to how a lot of FoxHOUND would make monologues when they are dying, namely Sniper Wolf, Vulcan Raven, and Psycho Mantis. This is alluded to briefly in _The Last Days of FoxHOUND_.**


	6. Chapter 5: Shadow Moses Island

**CHAPTER 5:**

 **SHADOW MOSES ISLAND**

 _A year later…_

"It's. Fucking. _Freezing_ ," Harry snarled.

"Griffin, I grew up in _Iraq_ ," Wolf said, rolling her eyes. "You, on the other hand, grew up in England. You told me your magic school was in Scotland. You should be more used to this weather than I am. Not only that, but you've been here a few times before, and for the past few weeks now."

"There's cold," Harry said, his teeth chattering, as the two of them strode across the snowfields to the Warhead Storage Building, "and then there is cryo- _fucking_ -genic. Even Warming Charms don't do much. I don't know how Raven can stand it with his shirt off, never mind you with your shirt on. And a jacket. It's like the frosty equivalent of Fiendfyre. Alaskan blizzards are like evil flurries of snow given sentience and malice."

"Cope. We'll go and pick up Hal and go and feed the children." As they entered the building, Wolf asked, "Have you been talking to that Johnny Sasaki again?"

"What? Oh, yeah, the tech guy. I brew him Pepper-Up potion for his colds, but he's got some sort of chronic bowel problem that I don't know how to help."

"Too much information, Griffin," Wolf said as they walked down the ramp, and into a vast, hanger-like space filled with old warheads. As long as they didn't linger, they should be fine.

They went to the elevator, and then took it down to the second basement floor. As they did so, Wolf said, "Anyway, you shouldn't be complaining about the cold. At least not in the bedroom."

"Well, there are advantages to sharing body heat," Harry chuckled. "By the way, Mantis told me to tell you not to scream in your mind so loud while we're having fun. Again."

"Fuck him," Wolf retorted. "On second thoughts, no. I wouldn't fuck him, even if he wanted me to."

Harry chuckled again. Though the mental image of Wolf and Mantis in bed together was disturbing enough. Quietly, he said to Wolf, "Think on that mental image, as loudly as you can, of you having sex with Mantis. I want to hear him screaming at the thought of the two of you in bed."

Wolf scowled, but the allure of freaking out Psycho Mantis was too much, and she concentrated. Then, Harry got a call on his CODEC line. It had taken some getting used to (though the inventor, an enthusiastic Chinese girl called Mei Ling, was helpful), but he knew how to use it. " _Hello?_ " he asked, through what was effectively a 'telepathic' link.

" _Know this, Griffin: I will find a way to kill you, and bring you back from the dead so I can do it again. Repeatedly._ "

" _Been there, done that, Mantis. I've brushed with Death so many times, I should give her high-fives every time I pass(_ _1)_ _._ "

"… _Her?_ "

" _C'mon, Mantis, haven't you ever read_ The Sandman? _Death is a hot goth babe._ "

"… _Fuck off._ " And with that cheerful greeting, Mantis signed off.

Harry laughed. "For a psychic, he's pretty easy to fuck with."

Wolf also cackled. She enjoyed tormenting Mantis. Asexual and misanthropic, but also more than a little misogynistic, he was. Okay, she was a bit of a misandrist, but that was more of a front than a deeply-held belief.

* * *

Hal Emmerich was a thin, gawky man with glasses and messy hair. He preferred calling himself Otacon, and had posters from old video games around his programming workshop. He was the only programmer left on the base now.

Harry liked him. He was quite dorky, and seemed to like Wolf more than Harry would have liked, but he also had the good sense not to come between Harry and Wolf. Plus, Harry occasionally joined Hal for his anime nights (the only other ones who came were Ocelot and Raven, which was surprising). He found himself enjoying _Neon Genesis Evangelion_ , in particular. Shinji reminded him quite a bit of Neville, while Gendo was like Snape, albeit with tinted glasses and a beard that wouldn't look out of place on a child molester…or Abraham Lincoln(2).

"Ah, Wolf, Griffin," Hal said, turning in his seat from where he had been engaged in his work at a terminal. "Sorry, I just need to finish this last bit of debugging. The Radome software had some problems in the last simulation. But that first railgun test was a huge success."

"I'll say," Harry said. He had seen it happen. FoxHOUND had been present at that test. The railgun was ridiculously accurate. "Heard from Emma lately?"

Hal grinned a little sheepishly. "Yeah. At least we're back on good terms now. I don't think she's forgiven me for…the incident, but we can at least exchange emails without it devolving into a flame war."

Harry nodded. On prompting from the Sorrow and Hal's mother, Dr Strangelove, Harry had persuaded Hal to get back in touch with his stepsister. It wasn't the best of reunions. They had parted on bad terms, given that Emma had nearly joined Huey Emmerich in dying in the swimming pool, while Hal was in bed with Emma's mother and his stepmother, Julie Dazinger. Emma had glimpsed what had happened, and this was actually the reason Huey committed suicide, that his new wife preferred his son to him.

Harry had to intervene during one rather angry video call, and it was probably his intervention that allowed Hal and Emma to agree to start over. And while Hal was a brilliant programmer and hacker, Emma, nicknamed 'E.E' by her stepbrother, was a prodigy.

"That's good. Did you tell her about your mother?"

Hal chuckled ruefully. "My father never spoke about her. I'm glad you got Ocelot to tell me about her, though. I wish I knew her better. As it is, I only have dim memories. But Emma, once she learned I was Dr Strangelove's son, went into fangirl mode. I think that's what has gotten her to be nicer to me."

Harry smiled. He persuaded Ocelot to tell Hal about his mother. Hal was disturbed to learn of the full depravities of his father, like nearly forcing him to become a test pilot for a Metal Gear system, as well as locking his mother into the shell of an AI system and leaving her to die. But he accepted it after some time, and resolved to model himself more on his mother, at least as far as morality was concerned (he still wanted to work in robotics, though). Ocelot even had an old tape of her last moments, and Harry was there when Hal broke down crying, hearing his mother proclaim his love for him from beyond the grave.

"Whatever works," Harry said. "I mean, you were good friends before. No reason you can't be again with a bit of effort."

Hal nodded, before he turned back to the computer. "Okay, well, I've done everything I need to for the time being. Let's go feed the kids…"

* * *

They took the elevator to the first Basement Floor, where the Commander's Office resided. They passed Liquid at his desk along the way, and gave him a polite nod. Harry knew that the man was up to something. Both the Sorrow and Ocelot said he was, and more or less what, and had told him. The time was coming when Harry would have to do what Hermione once called his 'saving people thing'.

Even so, that was no reason not to enjoy moments like this. Simple moments that reminded Harry and Wolf that they weren't just mercenaries or killers. They were human beings, capable of genuine kindness, and not faked, mechanical facsimiles of the same.

The wolf-dogs, while semi-wild, were used to Harry and Hal's presence, and loved Wolf. She had saved them from being shot not long after FoxHOUND and the Next Generation Special Forces came along.

They made their way through to a series of caves that led to the Communications Tower. It was in the caves that they fed the wolf-dogs, along with Berthold, who had taken up residence here for the past little while. Berthold still retained his loyalty and love for Wolf, though.

"The final test is coming in a week," Hal said. "Once I get all the bugs worked out, the definitive test of the railgun will happen."

"Impressive piece of work," Harry remarked. "Plus, REX looks pretty intimidating. Looks like a big mechanical Godzilla."

Hal chuckled. "One of the latest transfers said that too. She's usually assigned to my lab, but she was assigned to the REX hangar. Meryl, I think her name was."

Harry remembered meeting her in the mess yesterday, actually. Redhead, rather sexy. When she learned who he was, she got slightly fangirly, like Ginny, only more restrained. As it turned out, she was Roy Campbell's niece, and a major FoxHOUND fan. She was a bit more interested in learning what he had to say about Solid Snake, though. Eager, and more than a little wet around the ears, but serious about her profession.

He just hoped she would survive what was coming.

* * *

As they came through afterwards, Liquid halted them, having been joined in the office by Ocelot and Mantis. "Griffin, Wolf, stay here. Dr Emmerich, go back to your lab. I have someone waiting outside to escort you."

Hal grimaced, but went out through the door, saying nervous goodbyes to Harry and Wolf as he left. After the door closed and was locked behind him, Liquid looked at them both. "Sit down."

Harry did so, a little rankled by Liquid's authoritarian attitude.

"I've made up my mind," Liquid said. "This place, Shadow Moses, is where we make our stand, where we fight against our fate. No longer will we be beholden to the whims of governments. This is what the Boss wanted. This is what Big Boss wanted."

"What are you talking about, Liquid?" Harry asked, though he actually knew very well what he meant.

"After the final test, we are taking over this island," Liquid said. "We are taking Metal Gear. Ocelot and Mantis have helped formulate a plan. My only question to you two is: Are you in?" Ocelot raised his revolver, aiming it at them. "Or out?"

"If this is what Big Boss wanted, count me in," Wolf said without hesitation.

"And you, Griffin?" Liquid asked. "In? Or out?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "In, of course," he muttered wearily. "Were you expecting anything different?"

"You're part of the old guard of FoxHOUND, Griffin. Can't be too sure," Liquid said as Ocelot put his revolver away. "At least we know you're not for the Patriots."

"Liquid, I am sure that none of FoxHOUND is for the Patriots," Harry said. "Even the old guard. Your brother and Colonel Campbell would want them demolished."

"Well, they toil in blissful ignorance like dogs on the leash, and I don't intend to disillusion them. At least not yet. We're choosing to revolt because President Sears is signing START III. This will be a very uncomfortable time for him. How silly he was to have Metal Gear REX finishing development during this time."

"What happened to that special forces unit of his? Dead Cell? It's still around, isn't it?"

"Yes, but thanks to their antics, we're under scrutiny too," Liquid said bitterly. "There's rumblings that special forces with too many people with…abnormal abilities and personalities are a bad thing."

"Or, as Sears put it to me," Ocelot said, "people are getting scared of the Freak Brigades."

Freak Brigades was the colloquial term for elite special forces units, particularly those with questionable pasts and even more questionable abilities. Despite being called a freak by the Dursleys for much of his life, Harry found the term highly amusing. "They don't remember how the Cobra Unit saved the Allies' collective arses during World War II?" he asked.

"Yes, but they also remember that they turned traitor and went behind the Iron Curtain with the Boss during the Virtuous Mission," Ocelot pointed out. "Plus, you have all those people working under Big Boss at Outer Heaven and Zanzibar Land."

"Fair point. But also another fair point: aren't we basically doing what Big Boss did at Outer Heaven and Zanzibar Land? And, for that matter, Volgin, if you substitute Metal Gear with the Shagohod? Or San Hieronymo, and…"

"You've made your point, Griffin," Liquid snapped irritably. "But unlike Big Boss or Volgin, I intend to use some leverage. Once the power of Metal Gear REX is demonstrated, governments the world over will be scrambling to obtain it. In addition, Ocelot has been promised resources by an old comrade, Colonel Gurlukovich. Mark my words, you two. Soon, this desolate little speck of an island will become the flashpoint for a global revolution."

Harry nodded. Even so, though, he knew that it would probably not be the revolution Liquid wanted. He knew that Liquid was a puppet, and that while he knew the Patriots were pulling the strings, they were far from the only puppeteers.

His eyes met those of Ocelot, who inclined his head ever-so-slightly. He knew the man was playing his own little game. The only question was, did Harry and Wolf's survival factor into it? Did anyone's? Or did Ocelot intend to be the last man standing at the end of it all?

 **CHAPTER 5 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Yet another chapter down. We're finally at Shadow Moses, and Liquid's getting ready to rebel. Next chapter will take place during the initial stages of the revolt, with Harry bringing Meryl into custody, and the DARPA Chief getting fried.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Squadpunk 2.0** **: See above for the debut of Otacon.**

 **Zazi The Beast** **: Frankly, I would think that he would be ready to kill them if they launched a surprise attack, but he also listens because they may have good intel. Psycho Mantis and Vulcan Raven are cases in point in the game.**

 **1\. This is taken from Gordon Freeman's line at the end of Episode 22 of** ** _Freeman's Mind_** **. I thought it funny, and decided to have Harry crib it.**

 **2\. This is used to NERV's advantage in the fanfic _Nobody Dies_. Long story short, Gendo Ikari (who is a more moral character in that story) dresses up as Abraham Lincoln to avert disaster in one chapter. There's a really good reason for that that I don't intend to spoil.**


	7. Chapter 6: Nemo

**CHAPTER 6:**

 **NEMO**

Harry gently laid down the prone body of the young woman onto the bed, before he left the cell, closed and locked the door, and then waved his wand at her. " _Finite_ ," he murmured.

Almost instantly, Meryl Silverburgh was on her feet, glaring at him. "You bastard," she snarled.

"I'm an orphan, not a bastard," Harry said dryly. "And you should be grateful that a Body-Bind is all I did to you. As it stands, you're good leverage. We know who your uncle is."

"And you've betrayed him!" Meryl snapped. "He said you were a good man! Do good men do things like this?"

"…Maybe one day, I should tell you about the Boss," Harry said. Suddenly, the lights flickered, and then went out for several seconds, before coming back on. Harry knew what had caused it, and sighed. "Anyway, if it makes you feel any better, anyone who says they're going to try anything with you, outside of this little fracas, anyway, I will personally neuter. Just let me know if anyone does threaten you. If you'll excuse me."

* * *

"YOU FOOL! YOU KILLED HIM!"

"I'm sorry, sir."

Harry entered on a rather macabre scene. The DARPA Chief, Donald Anderson, was dead, if the wisps of smoke and the fragrant bouquet of charred flesh and voided bowels was any indication. Harry knew this was coming. Ocelot had been recognised by the former DARPA Chief. They had kept quiet about knowing each other, but Ocelot was taking down the still living and public members of Zero's branch of the Patriots. A shame the man once known as SIGINT was dead. Despite the man's greed for bribes, he was also one of the more intelligent men Harry knew.

Liquid was berating Ocelot, who had been operating the special electrocution table that Anderson had been secured to. Mantis, meanwhile, looked on. "His mental shielding was strong. I couldn't dive into his mind."

"Now we'll never get that detonation code!" Liquid snarled.

"Boss…" Mantis said quietly. "I have a good idea…"

"About time you had one," Harry remarked. "We should have a cake for the occasion."

"Oh, fuck off, Griffin!" Mantis retorted. "What did you do with Silverburgh?"

"Put her into a cell," Harry said, shrugging. "That's the joy of magic, really. You can cast a Body-Bind on them, and they're frozen until you release it, or it wears off. Anyway, unless you need me anywhere else, I'll go and monitor the likely insertion location of Solid Snake…" He blinked. "Did I just say that out loud?"

"Yes," chorused Liquid, Ocelot, and Mantis.

"Okay, well…"

"Actually, Griffin, I need access to your reserves of that Polyjuice Potion you brew for Octopus," Mantis said. "He'll need to look like Anderson. It will work with hairs taken from a corpse, won't it?"

"I think so," Harry said. "He's freshly dead, so I'd take them off him now. If not, Octopus will have to do it the old-fashioned way. Why are you going to get Octopus to imitate the DARPA Chief, anyway?"

"Need to know basis at this moment. Just get me the damn potion, and then go to the insertion location…"

* * *

Harry made his way to the old loading dock, once used by subs to offload supplies here. He had his Invisibility Cloak at the ready, and he was thinking very carefully about how he was going to screw over Liquid, without alienating Wolf. Especially now he knew what the plan was.

When the rebellion first began, Harry contacted, on Ocelot's suggestion, Richard Ames, a member of the Defence Intelligence Agency. While working for the Patriots, or at least the artificial intelligences calling themselves that, Ames was also his best chance at allowing Harry to speak to Campbell and Snake.

Ocelot had also given Harry and Wolf a couple of syringes. As far as Wolf was concerned, it was a cold vaccine, but Ocelot had managed to procure the FoxDIE vaccine.

There was an additional problem. Gray Fox had arrived on Shadow Moses Island, having fled Naomi's home some weeks ago. Naomi had said that he had a premonition, that he and Snake would be fighting before long. Harry had yet been able to track down the Cyborg Ninja, though, but he had killed three people here.

Anyway, as far as Ames, Campbell, and Snake were concerned, he was an anonymous informant. He called himself Nemo. A bit clichéd, but whatever.

Liquid soon came down, and looked around. He inspected everywhere, before he turned to Harry, who hadn't donned his cloak. "Ocelot has dealt with Miller. I'll be masquerading as him through the Codec. You keep an eye on Snake. Don't interfere unless necessary."

"So, the plan is, lure him through Shadow Moses, and have him find out how to override the PAL, assuming he doesn't know already? And we have the others fight against him in order to find out what he knows? Risky plan."

"Who dares, wins," Liquid said. "The motto of the SAS."

"Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong, at the worst possible time," Harry retorted. "Finagle's Law. He may have orders to kill us. And you know that Naomi may very well have been ordered to use that FoxDIE assassination virus she's been developing."

"The vaccine's been added to our list of demands. You just play your role, Griffin."

Harry snorted, before donning his cloak, and then climbing up onto a container. As Liquid spent a few more minutes checking the arrangements, Harry called Campbell on the Codec frequency he had been given by Ames. He had learned how to mask his voice and face in the feed, as well as prevent FoxHOUND from finding out he was betraying them. Amazing what some magic could do to nanotechnology.

" _Hello? Who is this?_ " came Campbell's voice.

" _This is Nemo. When will Snake be here?_ "

" _He's on his way. You're the informant Ames was talking about?_ "

" _Of course. I will have to remain hidden for the time being. Liquid cannot know that I intend his betrayal. In exchange for helping Snake out, I require a full pardon for myself, and one other FoxHOUND member. That is all._ "

" _I cannot promise anything. I'm just a figurehead, Snake's immediate superior. But I'll do what I can. Can I give Snake your Codec frequency?_ "

It was the frequency he set up for his masquerade as Nemo, rather than his standard one as Thaumaturge Griffin. " _Of course. Nemo out._ "

Just as Nemo finished, his eyes caught some movement in the water. A man dressed in diving gear emerged from the water. Just then, Liquid finished his inspection, calling out as he went onto the lift, "Stay alert! He'll be through here, I know it. I've got to go and swat down some bothersome flies."

As the lift ascended, the man in the diving gear knelt down and pressed a couple of fingers to his ear. Clearly he was still getting used to Codec. A few minutes passed, before suddenly Harry heard a trilling noise in his own ears. Snake was calling him. He answered it. " _This is Snake. Is this Nemo?_ "

" _Of course. I'd suggest you get a move-on once the lift comes back. We'll talk in further detail once you're at the heliport._ "

* * *

After hiding on the same lift with Snake as it ascended, Harry waited patiently as Snake went through his Codec call, along with watching Liquid take off in his Hind-D. Harry made his way to a parked truck and waited. Eventually, he was called up again. " _Nemo here._ "

" _Nemo, as you seem to be an informant here, tell me, what's going on?_ "

" _Hmm…well, it's very complicated, but one thing you must understand, Snake, is that Campbell isn't in charge. Houseman is, though President Sears has overriding authority. Thus, Campbell is not being told the whole story, or is being ordered to keep it from you. Keep in mind Campbell is doing this under duress: his niece is one of the hostages._ "

" _I know, Meryl Silverburgh. So what you're saying is that Campbell's intel can't be trusted?_ "

" _Not the intel, no, at least as far as what he's NOT telling you is concerned. He will give you good intel for the most part, but he's not telling you anywhere near the whole story. But if push comes to shove, he_ _ **will**_ _help you. Unfortunately, he's being forced to keep silent on a few, important points, and these are points that I will tell you about. This isn't just a nuclear warhead disposal facility. It is, big surprise, also a facility for developing the latest Metal Gear system._ "

" _Metal Gear?! It can't be!_ "

" _Actually, it can. Hal Emmerich, the guy who designed it based on Granin's old blueprints, was designing it to be a TMD, but he got duped. He wanted it to just shoot down missiles, but now, it's the latest iteration of your favourite nuke-laden walking deathmobile. Now, of course, you can't discuss this yet with Campbell or anyone else on the sub: Houseman will be watching, and he'll wonder where you got that info from. Like I said, you can trust Campbell to a point: he's not helping you out as much as he'd like because he's under duress. But try to be careful what you say to him. Now, some rather more pertinent intel: the DARPA Chief is dead. The man who currently has his nanomachines is Decoy Octopus, albeit using an appearance-altering concoction cooked up by Thaumaturge Griffin. They're trying to see if you know the PAL code, and if not, they'll try to trick you into using the emergency override key. That, by the way, is with Silverburgh. There's a knack to using the key that we don't know. Supposedly there are three keys, but I suspect a trick with them. Anyway, when you see the DARPA Chief, remember that it's Decoy Octopus. Don't worry, he doesn't have orders to kill or attack you: once you free him, he's just going to scurry off and hide._ "

" _Got it. Just act like he's the DARPA Chief, right? What about Baker?_ "

" _I think Ocelot took him into the second floor basement of the tank hangar. Anderson and Silverburgh, incidentally, are in the first floor basement. I'd ask if you have any questions, but I'm sure you have many more, and I'll answer them shortly. I do have one more warning: FoxHOUND's old medic, Dr Clarke, revived your old war buddy Gray Fox some time ago. The poor bastard's currently on Shadow Moses, and if I know him, he wants a showdown with you._ "

" _Gray Fox? But…how?_ "

" _Long story short, Dr Clarke didn't really give a crap about the natural order of life, death, and medical ethics. She turned him into a Cyborg Ninja, so if you ever see a blue-coloured robot-like exoskeleton with a single glowing eye, wielding a katana, and demanding you fight a battle to the death with him, that's Gray Fox. He's already killed a few of the soldiers here. He's insane, which I guess what happens when you meddle with bringing the dead back to life. He's normally fine when he's had his meds, but unfortunately, he's been off them for a while._ "

"… _Great. Anyone else from my past who's not dead?_ "

" _Well, Big Boss is in a coma, but that's another story._ "

"… _You're kidding, right?_ "

" _Snake, believe me, I'd know if he's dead. Besides, I know a guy who knows what's going on. Anyway, I'll let you ask one question. We'll get in touch once you meet the so-called DARPA Chief, and we'll discuss things then._ "

" _Just one, huh? Then tell me: is Liquid Snake truly my brother?_ "

" _Yes. I'll tell you the details later. And he's not your only one. You have a third brother._ "

"… _Terrific. I'll contact you after I meet Octopus. Snake out._ "

* * *

Harry followed Snake into the tank hangar (using the front door, rather than the ventilation ducts Snake used), and soon followed him into the first floor basement. He used the cloak to get close to the door, and listen to the conversation. Snake was a good actor, almost as good as Octopus. He made no sign of knowing that the man in the cell was Decoy Octopus.

And then, suddenly, while asking Snake about some things, Octopus convulsed, crying out in pain, before sagging to the ground, dead, of an apparent heart attack. Harry knew better. Meryl began yelling for help, and Johnny Sasaki, like a fool, rushed to her cell, and opened it. Meryl then promptly beat the crap out of him, before swiftly divesting him of his clothes. She then opened Snake's cell door, while Harry, knowing this was going to get ugly very soon, moved into her cell, keeping it open.

Even as Meryl and Snake argued, a squad of soldiers appeared, and they were forced to fight back, Meryl understandably nervous about actually killing someone for the first time. Soon, the squad was decimated, and she fled, firing at Snake in an apparent attempt to deter him from following her. And then, Harry felt the distinctive presence of Mantis nearby briefly. Snake was silent for a time, save for his breathing, and Harry realised he was using his Codec. Eventually, Harry heard a new call for him. " _This is Snake. Are you there, Nemo?_ "

" _Well, it's not Major Tom_ ," Harry remarked. " _But yeah._ "

" _Anderson…well, Octopus is dead. From a heart attack. Campbell seemed to know something, but didn't tell me. Do you know?_ "

" _I suspect. It seems like the Pentagon have deployed FoxDIE, with you as its vector. I don't understand all the technical explanations: it's basically a nanomachine-assisted retrovirus that targets people with specific DNA profiles. In short, it's a targeted assassination weapon, developed by Naomi Hunter. You shouldn't let on that you know. Houseman is probably trying to off FoxHOUND. Campbell knows more than he's telling, but please don't hold it against him. I know what he's truly like, Snake, and it's probably tearing him up inside to deceive you._ "

" _My heart bleeds_ ," Snake remarked acidly. " _But what's your game, Nemo? Why are you betraying FoxHOUND?_ "

" _Because unlike Liquid, I know the truth about whose ideal he is fighting for. Did you ever learn of who trained Big Boss?_ "

" _No._ "

" _It was the Boss. You should look her up some time. But don't believe the history books. They claim she defected to the USSR, when in reality, she was a double agent, trying to prevent a madman from throwing the world into conflict. She wanted a world united, by peace and understanding, and where soldiers were not prey to politics. Unfortunately, your father misunderstood her. The Boss is who I strive to emulate. Plus, I want to get out of this with myself and the one I love out intact, thank you very much. Along with the innocents, obviously._ "

" _Hmm. I'd better go and deal with Baker. Is what Octopus said reliable?_ "

" _About the new walled-up doors? Yes. You can find some C-4 in the second floor basement, it's an armoury after all. Just a heads-up, though, you'll have company down there, and he'll have a nasty surprise in wait. Nemo out._ " Harry hung up, and then tailed Snake covertly to the lift. Hopefully, he could help the seasoned operative out. He just hoped he could get Wolf, Hal, and Meryl out of this alive…

 **CHAPTER 6 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Harry begins helping Solid Snake. Hopefully, this will end up for the best.**

 **No reviews that need specific answers, and no numbered annotations. Yay!**


	8. Chapter 7: Gunfight at the OK Shadow

**CHAPTER 7:**

 **GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K SHADOW MOSES**

Harry was glad he had erected that Shield Charm. Ocelot seemed to think it funny to greet Snake by firing a bullet at the operative's feet, shortly after Snake spotted the C4 and tripwires around that idiot Baker. Unfortunately, the ricochet nearly hit Harry. Ocelot, as he emerged from behind a pillar, said, "Right, touch that wire, and the C4 will go up, along with the old man. So, you're the one the boss and Griffin go on about."

Harry decided not to linger in the chamber. It was going to be the site of an all-out gun battle any time. But he stayed and watched for a moment. "And you are Revolver Ocelot?" Snake asked.

"Of course. I've waited a long time to meet you, Solid Snake. You've quite the reputation to live up to." Ocelot smirked behind his moustache as he twirled his revolver. "The resemblance is uncanny," he said. "To your father. I knew Big Boss. We even had a duel back when we first met in the Sixties. He taught me many things. I wonder, how do you compare to him?"

Snake's response was simple and laconic. "I killed him."

"When he was past his prime, Snake. I wonder how well you would have done when he was in his prime. Still, let's have a remount of that duel," Ocelot declared. He displayed his gun proudly. "The Colt Single Action Army revolver. The finest handgun ever made. And six shots are more than enough to kill anything that moves. Even you. You have a SOCOM, the latest in soulless weapons tech. Still, ought to be interesting." He removed the spent round, replaced it, and then holstered his weapon. Shrugging, Snake did the same.

Harry got out of the chamber. As he did so, he heard Ocelot say, "Now I'll show you why they call me 'Revolver'."

Harry stifled a groan. How cheesy could you get? Ocelot enjoyed playing a role too much, frankly. Harry felt privileged to know more about the man than most people did, but even then, he couldn't be sure how much he had seen was yet another mask, and how much was the man.

Suddenly, Ocelot yelled, "DRAW!" Thankfully, Harry's groan was obscured by the sound of gunshots. Really? Did Ocelot think he was at the O.K Shadow Moses? He was obsessed with Spaghetti Westerns, the man. In fact, Ocelot had once managed to persuade Hal Emmerich to watch _A Fistful of Dollars_ by pointing out that it had been based on a Japanese film, _Yojimbo_.

Snake must have taken cover, because Ocelot taunted, "Hiding won't help you! I understand the bullets, you see. I make them go where I want them to!"

"This place is too cold. How about a sauna?" Snake snarked, before a gunshot heralded the sound of a blast of steam. Harry grinned a little at Ocelot's pained yelp at being scalded.

It went back and forth for a while, Ocelot and Snake trading shots and snarky remarks. Eventually, there was a lull in the shooting. But then, Harry realised he could sense something moving by. He heard the faintest of sounds of footsteps. But he could see nothing. He realised, with a chill, what was about to happen. Who had just passed him.

"You're pretty good. Just what I expected from someone with the same codename as the boss. I haven't felt this way in a long time, but I'm only just getting warmed…GAH! MY HAND!"

Harry was in the chamber in an instant, summoning Ocelot's hand even as he registered the gunslinger clutching a bloody stump. "Ocelot! C'mon!" Harry yelled, whipping off the Invisibility Cloak.

Snake whirled to face him briefly, but as Harry rushed Ocelot out of sight, he knew that Snake would be preoccupied with whoever had attacked Ocelot. And Harry was sure it was Gray Fox…

* * *

They hid in one of the weapons rooms in the armoury proper. Harry held the hand to Ocelot's stump, and began casting a healing spell he had learned not long after he made the decision to join FoxHOUND.

Ocelot hissed in pain as his hand was reattached. As Harry finished, he snarled, "Dammit, why the hell did Jaeger do that?!"

"He's off his meds, Adamska," Harry said quietly. "He's obsessed with Snake now, more so than Liquid, and that's saying something."

"It'd be funnier if that bastard didn't try to take my hand." Ocelot flexed his hand, wincing in pain, but clearly able to use it again. "Thanks for the save, Harry."

"You're welcome. Do you reckon Baker's on the FoxDIE list?"

"Houseman hates that fat son of a bitch. He'd do it if he could get away with it, which he can. By the way, did you make contact with Snake?"

"Of course. He knows me as 'Nemo'. He knows about FoxDIE, and about what happened to Anderson. I've also warned him to be careful of Campbell's intel. Houseman will be keeping Campbell on a leash. I've also told him about the Boss, and how Big Boss is in a coma. Oh, and about Gray Fox."

Suddenly, they heard an electronically distorted scream. Thankfully, the source ran by them without stopping. "Speak of the devil…" Ocelot said. He then looked at Harry. "Okay. By this point, you should get to the second-floor basement of the Warhead Storage Building. Snake will probably head there before long to touch base with Emmerich. Plus, with Jaeger on the loose, we might need you to protect Emmerich from that crazy ninja. You keep feeding Snake intel. Be careful how much you tell him: he may let slip to Campbell things that Houseman will get suspicious of."

"Should I tell him that Liquid is masquerading as Miller?"

"…Save it for later. I want to see Solid Snake shit his pants. I was taking it easy on him, but damn, he's as good as his father, not to mention Ahab. His body double," Ocelot explained. "He was pretty much a second Big Boss in every way. Snake may have gotten less of the better genes, but he's still better than Liquid."

"I'll touch base with Wolf. Do you want me to Apparate you to the command centre?"

"Yeah, that'd be great."

* * *

A couple of Apparations later, and Harry was now at Emmerich's lab. The engineer had been startled at his sudden appearance, but was relieved to hear that Harry was guarding him from a homicidal cyborg ninja. As much as Emmerich would love to SEE a cyborg ninja, he didn't want to be on the wrong end of said ninja's sword.

Soon after he arrived and explained the situation to Emmerich, he got a call from Wolf. " _Griffin, are you there?_ "

" _Yeah. Snake's probably talking to Baker at the moment. Silverburgh's on the loose, and so is Gray Fox. From what Liquid told me, Raven's waiting just beyond the Tank Hangar with one of the tanks._ "

"… _Isn't that a bit much? We're only trying to slow him down and make him think he's fighting for his life. A tank…_ "

" _Yeah, I know. Raven was pretty insistent. Anyway, I'm guarding Emmerich in case Gray Fox decides to come this way. I'd come over and keep you company, but we need Hal alive for the moment._ "

" _You mean you want him alive._ "

" _Don't you?_ "

" _True, but good people get killed in our line of work._ "

" _Wolf, one of my oldest friends once told me I have a 'saving people thing'. She was very right._ "

"… _So why go through with the revolution, then?_ "

"… _I want as few people to die on this island as possible, Wolf. Including you._ " Only a partial lie. " _I'd rather die than see you dead._ "

"… _Thanks. But you do know that there's a good chance we won't make it out alive?_ "

Harry chuckled. " _Wolf…did I ever tell you something about me? I had a nickname that I didn't know about until I was eleven. I got it at the age of one. I told you about that wizard terrorist who killed my parents…but what I didn't tell you is that he used the same Killing Curse on me, only for it to rebound. I got that scar, and that terrorist got vanquished. They called me the Boy Who Lived, simply because I was the first person to survive that curse. Even though it was something my mother did, some ritual or other. I told you about that Basilisk, and how I barely survived that. And there's all sorts of occasions where I got lucky, or I did my best to survive a situation. I will make sure we make it out alive, Wolf._ "

"… _Thank you, Griffin. I hope we do too. We'll talk later. Wolf out._ "

Several minutes later, Snake called. " _This is Snake. Nemo, do you read me?_ "

" _Loud and clear, Snake. Looks like Ocelot and Griffin managed to get away from you. What's up?_ "

" _You were right. That ninja was Gray Fox. He seemed to recognise me, but after a brief fight, he ran away. I just had a talk with Baker. He told me how to contact Meryl, as well as the emergency key card. He also gave me the disc with the test data for Metal Gear REX. He seemed on the verge of revealing some sort of secret to REX that might ruin his company when he had a heart attack. FoxDIE again, if what you said was true. Campbell and Hunter are still playing the fool, but Campbell did say I can trust Meryl more than I can trust him._ "

" _Yeah, he's right. Campbell doesn't_ _ **want**_ _to betray you, like I said. That being said, keep an eye on Meryl. I think Mantis is using her as a pawn sometimes. She's still herself most of the time, but even so, keep an eye out for any strange behaviour. You can trust her, as long as she's still herself. Oh, some intel: apparently Vulcan Raven's waiting for you in a tank between the Tank Hangar and the Warhead Storage Building. Plus some Claymores. Hope you've got a mine detector._ "

"… _Great. As it happens, though, I do have a mine detector. I found one. Anyway, where are you?_ "

" _Need to know basis, and you don't need to know. Ocelot and Liquid are at the command centre, supervising this whole shebang. Griffin's with Emmerich in the computer labs, making sure Gray Fox doesn't get anywhere near him._ "

" _Huh. Figures Griffin would be on protection duty. I met him a couple of times. Nice kid. Used to call himself Harry Potter. I was surprised he went along with this._ "

" _Yeah, well, he's worried about his girlfriend. You_ _ **do**_ _know he's Sniper Wolf's lover, don't you?_ "

" _Campbell told me. Unfortunately, if either of them get in the way of my mission…I have to take them out. That's my job. I don't like doing this mission. I'd rather be dog-sledding. But the brass have me by the balls. And I want to stop this new Metal Gear from being unleashed. Anyway, what makes it so special? Baker hinted at something before he kicked the bucket._ "

" _Long story short? The railgun. Apparently it can fire nuclear warheads with ridiculous accuracy. Not only that, but it gets around treaties because of the definition of what constitutes an ICBM, and the launch wouldn't show up on thermal imaging, as those looking for nuclear missile launches would spot a certain signature. The railgun round would still leave a trail of plasma in its wake(_ _1)_ _, but by the time you realised that, well, the warhead would hit. It's almost a stealth missile, and certainly impossible to intercept._ "

"… _Damn. And with Sears signing that START treaty_ …"

" _Of course. If word gets out, a major scandal will erupt. Which is what Liquid is planning. I know you couldn't care less about the government, which is a viewpoint I frankly share, but unfortunately, it means more trouble from overseas. Not to mention every man and his dog will want their own Metal Gear REX._ "

" _Not if I have anything to say about it. I'll contact you once I'm in the basement of the Warhead Storage Building. Anything else I should know about?_ "

" _Yeah. They flooded most of the labs with poison gas to try and keep Emmerich in, and part of the floor is electrified. I suggest a gas mask and a Nikita Missile Launcher to cut the power for the floor. You know, standard fun party gear._ "

" _Some party_ ," Snake griped. " _Snake out._ "

 _Yeah, some party_ , Harry thought. _Nothing said 'party' like an armed terrorist uprising_. And here he was, playing both sides against each other, and hoping that he could get himself, Wolf, and as many of the others out alive as possible.

Still, he had time to kill until Snake arrived. So he turned to Emmerich, and asked, "Any new anime you think I'd like?"

 **CHAPTER 7 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Some Ocelot versus Snake, and some conversations between Harry, Snake, and Wolf. The dialogue in the fight is a combination of the original game,** ** _The Twin Snakes_** **, and Raymond Benson's novelisation, with my own spin on it. The sauna line, cheesy though it is, is all my own.**

 **Review-answering time! A couple of you have asked whether I will go beyond** ** _Metal Gear Solid_** **with this fic.** ** _Broken Tools_** **will end with the end of** ** _Metal Gear Solid_** **, but I won't rule out a sequel, depending on my motivation.**

 **CCBottle** **: Hal doesn't want to speak to Huey, and the feeling's mutual. Huey probably had more than a few unkind words to say to Harry about his son, but as Harry knows what Huey did, he basically told him to fuck off. One day, though, Hal will probably talk to his mother.**

 **1\. Technically, a railgun projectile will actually leave a heat trail behind. It's not from propellant, but, from what I heard, it's** ** _plasma_** **created from the projectile moving so damned fast. There's pictures on the internet from railgun tests showing railgun projectiles in mid-flight (through the magic of slow-motion cameras), and you can see the air** ** _warping_** **in front of it from the sheer air pressure in front of the projectile.**


	9. Chapter 8: Baring Your Heart

**CHAPTER 8:**

 **BARING YOUR HEART**

It was when Harry heard the gunshots and screaming that he knew something had gone wrong. Hal was on his feet as soon as Harry was. "What's going on, Griffin?"

"I think someone's come to play," Harry said grimly. "Get behind me."

The door opened, and a shimmering outline strode through, the corridor outside bloodied and filled with viscera. Harry knew who the intruder was. He kept Hal behind him as he backed up. "Jaeger, he's not here yet. But I'm sure he's on his way."

" _Is he? I hope for your sake, he is_ ," rasped Gray Fox in his cybernetically enhanced voice. His cloaking deactivated, revealing the exoskeleton in all its glory. The helmet was shut, the cycloptic camera eye glowing ominously, the sword was dripping with fresh blood. " _Jaeger…a name from the past…a name of a corpse_ …"

Harry put his hands up in a placatory gesture. "Frank…just wait a moment. Snake'll be here any second."

" _Well, perhaps I will entertain myself with you first. I never got to test myself on you._ "

"What's going on here?!" Hal demanded. "Why has he got optic camouflage?"

"Ah, yes. Hal Emmerich, this is the guy I was talking about. The Cyborg Ninja, aka Frank Jaeger, aka Gray Fox. He's basically a cyborg zombie ninja with more than a few screws loose and a sword sharper than the tongue of one of my old teachers. Try not to piss your pants. Frank Jaeger, this is Dr Hal Emmerich, chief engineer for the Metal Gear REX project, and a pretty good friend, so I would appreciate it very much if you refrained from turning him into a shish-kebab. I don't have many friends, and I don't like them getting killed if I can help it."

Any retort Jaeger had on the matter was halted when the door opened, and Snake walked in. Harry waved, even as Snake raised his gun. "Hey, Snake!" Harry said. "Looks like we're all here."

" _Snake_ …" Gray Fox said, turning to face his former comrade and adversary.

"Fox…" Snake said, his face forlorn, even as he kept the gun up. "What are you doing here?"

" _I want a final battle with you, Snake. No longer am I enemy or friend. I've come back from a world where such terms are meaningless. It's not for anything as simple as revenge. Only in a fight with you can my soul find respite. Whether I kill you, or you kill me, it makes no difference._ "

Harry opened up a locker behind Hal, and pushed him inside. "Stay in there," Harry said to the shaking scientist. Then he turned to Fox and Snake. "So, your little fracas has room for one more?" Harry asked with a smirk.

"Stay out of this," Snake snarled.

"Hey, in this, I'm on your side, Snake. I want to make sure Emmerich survives. You want to make sure Emmerich survives. Well, Jaeger, do you have any objection?"

Gray Fox looked back at him, before saying, " _Hmm…why not? I've wanted to test your skill for some time, Griffin. So, Snake, Griffin, make me feel alive again!_ "

Harry dived out of the way as Snake fired some rounds from his SOCOM, which Gray Fox deflected. " _There is no honour in a weapon like that!_ " he snarled.

"Okay, got it," Harry said, before yelling, "EXPELLIARMUS!" Both the sword and the SOCOM were ripped from their owners' hands, and ended up near Harry, who kicked them under a table. On Snake's glare, he said, pocketing his wand, "What? Just evening the odds."

" _Yes! Hand to hand, it's the basis of all combat_ ," Fox cheered triumphantly. " _Only a fool trusts his life to a weapon._ "

"Spare me," Snake retorted, getting into a stance.

What followed was an almost balletic dance of close-quarters combat. Surprisingly, Snake and Harry fought well together, though Harry was irritated when Snake tried to get some cheap hits in on him, presumably trying to remove any obstacles between him and Emmerich.

Eventually, the three of them tired. Snake, panting, looked at Jaeger with sorrow in his eyes. "Fox…how could they do this to you?"

"Very easily," Harry snarled. "Well, in terms of ethics. Medically it was very difficult. And necromancy never works out well. Especially when he never wanted to come back to begin with. The people pulling your strings did this, Snake. What will they do to you and your corpse, I wonder?"

Snake glared at Harry, but suddenly, Jaeger began screaming and convulsing, energy crackling around him. "What's going on?!" Snake demanded.

" _The…the medicine!_ " Jaeger howled. " _I'm l-losing m-myself!_ "

"Oh, shit," Harry muttered. "Stay away from him, Snake."

Fox fell to his hands and knees, and began banging his helmeted head on the floor repeatedly. "Fox…" Snake said, almost helplessly. "Fox, snap out of it!"

As if heeding Snake's words, Jaeger ceased hurting himself. Suddenly, he lunged for his sword underneath the table Harry had left it under, and then dashed out of the room, screaming a banshee scream of agony.

Harry watched him leave, before turning back to Snake. The former FoxHOUND operative was glaring at him. "Why?" he asked. "Why are you helping them, Harry?"

"That's none of your business, Snake. Anyway, you can babysit Emmerich from now on. Though I don't think Liquid will have any use for him soon. Anyway, I'll leave you alone for now. Call it my mark of regard for you, Snake. But when we next meet, we will be fighting. Be seeing you." He gave the Village salute from _The Prisoner(_ _1)_ , before he Apparated…

* * *

…And ended up next to Wolf (on that balcony just below the Communications Tower) with a crack. Thankfully, she didn't start much. "What happened?" she asked.

"Gray Fox happened. Snake and I had to fight him. He's gone off elsewhere. Meanwhile, Snake's now with Emmerich. Probably pumping him for any information on REX," Harry said. "I've left him alone for the time being, as per the plan."

"I still don't like this," Wolf said. She was standing, for the moment, although once she got word that Snake was on the way to this spot, she would lie down in a sniper's position. "Either Mantis or myself are expected to capture him, but Solid Snake has a tendency to kill any opposition that he can't sneak past."

"I'll make sure he can't, Wolf," Harry said firmly. "I told you, I won't let you die."

Wolf chuckled bitterly. "Griffin, I realised something recently. It was shortly before we came here to Shadow Moses. I thought I was a dog of war, a wolf turned mercenary. No longer the wolf I was born to be. I had shamed myself and my people by selling my body and soul, all in the name of revenge. But…when we came to be together, it's as if a part of me that has been missing for a long time has returned to me. I thought a wolf was supposed to be solitary. But…they hunt in packs, and the alpha pair is bonded for life. Only death severs that bond. We are not the leaders of FoxHOUND…but we are the alpha pair."

Harry looked at her for a time, before moving across to her, and embracing the buxom sniper. "That," he whispered into her ear, his voice heavy with emotion, "is one of the best things anyone has ever said to me."

She purred into his ear, "Well, as we probably have some time to kill before Snake is finished with Emmerich and finds Silverburgh, how about you transfigure our clothes into a sleeping bag, and I will give you one of the best things that have ever happened to you?"

"You already have, Wolf," Harry whispered. "You've given yourself."

"True," she said with a chuckle. "We haven't got much time left, though. Let's make it a good one…"

* * *

And it _was_ a good time. A bit of a frantic, urgent, and rough time (especially as Snake could be on his way very soon), but a good time nonetheless. Experience with the bodies of each other meant that they knew exactly what to do to pleasure their partner, even when they were in a bit of a hurry. Their cries of pleasure echoed through the dim passage eerily, capped with the loud exclamations of their respective climaxes.

As they lay there afterwards, in post-coital bliss, Harry's softening length still within Wolf, he murmured gently into her ear, "I love you, Wolf."

After a moment, she said, "Yasmin."

"Sorry, what?"

"My name. It is Yasmin(2)," she admitted, quietly.

Harry blinked, before the gravity of what she had said caught up with him. It was the first time she had told him her name, her real name. He had gotten so used to calling her Wolf, he had all but forgotten that there would be a real name underneath it all. He felt remarkably privileged to know this from her.

An impish grin spread across his face. Not that it would stop him from teasing her gently. "Like the princess from _Aladdin?_ " As she scowled, he said hurriedly, "Okay, okay…actually, your name is very nice, Wolf…I mean, Yasmin. Like the flower jasmine…it certainly suits your looks. You're as beautiful as the flower. Whereas I am stuck with boring old Harry."

"Harry?"

"Harry Potter. In the Wizarding World, that name is famous, despite being rather dull. But as Thaumaturge Griffin of FoxHOUND, I am not as famous. I like it like that. That's one thing you never had to deal with, Yasmin. It was the fame. The unwarranted fame of surviving where nobody else had before, even your parents. And the expectation that you would become the messiah of a hidden world. I wanted a normal childhood. I never got one. I don't even have a normal life…but without the life I lead now, I would never have met you."

Wolf…no, Yasmin smiled, and then hugged him even tighter to herself. "And I am so grateful to have met you, Harry. My life is complete with you, more than it ever has been." Her face fell, and settled into a serious mask. "We've had enough fun. Change our clothes back, Griffin. Soon, Snake will be headed our way. I want you to lie in wait in safety, until the time is right to intervene."

That dismissal was one of the coldest he had ever gotten from Wolf (whenever they were in the field, he would think of her still as Wolf, and only in private would he think of her as Yasmin), but he knew why. They were on the clock, and Snake would soon be confronting Mantis, if he didn't already.

* * *

As he moved away to his hiding spot, he heard the distinctive shrill beep of the Codec. Snake was calling. " _This is Snake. Nemo, are you there?_ "

" _Yeah. What's wrong?_ "

" _I've talked to Emmerich, and I've made contact with Meryl. I actually discussed the railgun being used as a means to fire a nuke with Emmerich. Emmerich was horrified. The fool didn't even know he was creating a nuclear-equipped walking deathmobile. For a genius engineer, he was pretty gullible. But I think his heart is in the right place. Meryl's pretty green, but she's a good partner, I think. But you said Mantis might be controlling her, right?_ "

" _Right. If she does turn on you, just knock her out. Hit her or use a stun grenade or something. Mantis is waiting for you up ahead…as is Wolf and Griffin._ "

"… _You mean you and Wolf, right?_ "

Harry felt a chill, but he sent back, " _I don't know what you're talking about._ "

" _People who say that often do know what the questioner is talking about. I thought about the people in FoxHOUND who would be willing to be an informant. You were pretty good, but you said when we first talked that you were doing this to save the one you loved. And you're tight with Wolf. I know it's you, Harry. Something bothered me, why someone like you would join this revolution. You seemed like a good kid. And when we fought Fox, you had me at my mercy. And your leaving me there had more than your regard or this game Liquid is playing. But does Wolf know what you're doing?_ "

"… _No._ " Harry admitted.

"… _I can't promise not to kill her. Not if she's trying to kill me. But I will do my best not to._ "

" _We're here to try and capture you and Meryl_ ," Harry sent back. " _If Mantis can't get anything out of you, then Ocelot might. We each have our own role to play, just like with Big Boss, back when he was Naked Snake, and the Boss. One had to fight the other, one having to play the role of a traitor. But thanks in advance, Snake, for trying to avoid killing her if you can. That means a lot to me._ "

"… _Knowing you are trying to help means a lot to me. You've been more helpful than Campbell has been_ ," Snake said. " _I'll keep this quiet, even from Campbell. See you soon. Snake out._ "

As the call disconnected, Harry sighed. So, Snake managed to guess it. Even so, it wasn't an unreasonable guess. Even so, he was still walking along a razor's edge, and where a moment's carelessness could mean his death, or that of his love…or even both. He hoped things would turn out well, because he wasn't sure he could bear losing Wolf…

 **CHAPTER 8 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, we've had some sex with Harry and Wolf (whose name in this story isn't canon, obviously), and Snake has found out Nemo's secret. Hope you enjoy. Next chapter has Snake in captivity.**

 **1\. This salute, from the original Sixties version of The Prisoner, has the saluter forming an 'A-OK' sign in front of their eye and bringing it forward while saying 'Be seeing you'.**

 **2\. I looked at a variety of Middle Eastern names, particularly those of Kurds. I wanted to choose a name that wasn't too far away from a Western name, either. I eventually settled on Yasmin, especially as it's the name of a flower (that is, jasmine). This, obviously, isn't the canon name.**


	10. Chapter 9: Captivity

**CHAPTER 9:**

 **CAPTIVITY**

As the soldiers dragged a now-unconscious Snake away, Harry tended to Wolf's shoulder. Snake had gotten lucky with one shot, and Harry used a healing spell to heal the wound after the bullet was removed. "He's good," Wolf remarked, wincing with pain. "Better than I thought."

"Is that why you marked him as your special prey?" Harry asked wryly. "I thought we had a thing."

"We do." She looked at Snake's body. "But I've always wanted a battle against Saladin, against Big Boss. Solid Snake will be the next best thing."

Some soldiers dragged Meryl's unconscious body by. Harry halted them, and began healing Meryl. "If she dies, Campbell may become unpredictable," he explained to Wolf. "Besides, she's like Emmerich. She's been dropped in the deep end."

"She's also an enemy soldier, especially with Mantis dead," Wolf pointed out.

"She's also a rookie with no real combat experience until today. At least you didn't use those mercury rounds(1) on either of them."

"I don't kill for sport," Wolf said. "I'm surprised Snake killed Mantis."

"Yeah." The psychic was, after all, a formidable opponent. Snake must have worked hard to defeat him. After a moment, Harry smirked. "So…dibs on his coffee beans?"

Wolf chuckled. While Harry and Wolf tolerated (and was tolerated by) the psychic, they didn't actually like each other that much, particularly lately. A comrade he was, but not a friend. He was a raving psychopath who would probably be at peace in death.

* * *

About an hour later, Snake was strapped to the interrogation table in the Tank Hangar basement, stripped of everything but his trousers and bandanna. Liquid, Wolf, and Ocelot were all standing around the table, Harry nearby. And Harry got the impression that Liquid was being even colder to him than usual. He didn't know why, except that Mantis had been a good friend to Liquid since they were children, and maybe he was taking out his grief on Harry. Raven was currently monitoring communications with the government.

"Don't kill him, not yet. We need him alive," Liquid said.

"Leave it to me, sir," Ocelot said.

Liquid snorted. "I hope, for your sake, Ocelot, that you won't mess up like you did with the DARPA Chief."

"Yes," Wolf said. "He is my target, and mine alone."

"Wolf…" Harry groaned, annoyed. Then, he noticed Snake stirring. Not groaning, but you could tell he was waking up.

"Can you hear me, Snake?" Liquid crooned. "I always knew we would meet one day. After the sacrifice of all our brothers, finally, we meet. The brother of light, and the brother of dark."

"Liquid, are you _trying_ to sound like a Bond villain?" Harry snarked. "Anyway, we need that sample of his DNA to patch up those of the Genome Soldiers. You know it's only a temporary measure. We still need Big Boss' body. Have they made any indication as to the demands?"

Liquid scoffed. "They haven't."

"They won't give in," Wolf sneered. "They're hypocrites, all of them."

"To be fair, Wolf, hypocrisy is a pretty universal human trait. It's just that everything seems to get magnified in the good ol' US of A," Harry retorted.

"True, but they'll want to cover their arses," Liquid said with a confident smile. "They want to avoid any leak about their precious new weapon."

Snake, who was now fully conscious, chuckled painfully. "Not surprised," he rasped.

Ocelot activated a control panel, and Snake was rotated up to face them. His wolf-like blue eyes stared at them, giving nothing away about what he knew of Harry's true allegiance, thankfully. Instead, he settled for glaring at Liquid. "There definitely is a resemblance, wouldn't you say, little brother? Or maybe it's big brother. Anyway, you and I are the last surviving Sons of Big Boss," Liquid mused.

Then, that most annoying of interruptions to social interactions happened. Liquid's mobile rang, and as he opened it up, Harry looked to Wolf, and rolled his eyes.

Whatever Raven had to say angered Liquid, who hung up petulantly, and glared at a nearby window, looking out at a cell. "They're not responding to our demands. So we'll be launching the nuke in 10 hours as planned."

"Damn Americans," Wolf snarled.

"It's surprising, though," Liquid mused. "Normally, the Americans are the first to the negotiating table. They must think they have a trump card."

Snake rolled his eyes. "Wish they'd tell me about it."

"They don't tell you anything, do they Snake?" Liquid asked, turning back to his brother.

"So, it's come down to it, eh?" Ocelot asked. "Launching the nuke and riding it all the way into history?"

"What, like Major Kong in _Dr Strangelove?_ " Harry snarked.

"I've got to take care of the launch preparations," Liquid said. "Ocelot, you're in charge."

Ocelot looked at Wolf and Harry. "Wanna watch the show?"

"I'm not interested in your torture games, Ocelot," Wolf said, taking out a pillbox, and swallowing some. "Anyway, it's time to feed the family. What about you, Griffin?"

"I'll come along shortly," Harry said. "I want to make sure Silverburgh's secure. We don't want her getting out like she did last time."

Liquid nodded. "And don't fuck up like you did with Anderson."

"He was tough for a pencil-pusher!" Ocelot protested.

"And his mental defences, according to Mantis, were enhanced with hypnotherapy and surgical implants."

"What about Gray Fox?" Harry asked.

"He's killed 12 men," Liquid said. "There's little left of Gray Fox now, just a bloodthirsty lunatic. And we've still got to find out what killed Baker and Octopus. We're shorthanded enough as it is, so get your little torture revue out of the way as soon as possible."

"Torture?" Ocelot snorted. "This is an interrogation."

"Spare me," Liquid retorted. He then turned to Snake, and smiled. "Until next time, brother."

As he walked out, Wolf approached Snake. "Your woman is still alive," she said.

"You're lucky, Snake," Harry said, folding his arms. "Wolf could've used her mercury rounds, for both of you. Wolf was feeling merciful, to Silverburgh at least."

"See you around, handsome," Wolf purred, before she left, and Harry followed.

* * *

"Okay, should I be feeling jealousy right now?" Harry demanded as he followed Wolf to the mess, to get the food for the wolves. He had made sure Meryl was secure beforehand. "Seriously, Wolf…"

"Yasmin. You may call me that in private, Harry," she said. "And you forget, Snake is my special prey."

"So was I. We ended up having sex on the locker room floor," Harry said. "I understand flirting with him a little, if it's psychological warfare, but…"

"I'm glad you're a little jealous," Wolf said. "At least it means you still feel something for me."

"How can you have any doubt, Wolf? Is it because I took the time to heal Silverburgh?"

"No, I know what you feel for her is not lust or affection, but pity and sympathy, Harry," Wolf, no, _Yasmin_ said. "But we are soldiers. We will have to face each other."

"Yasmin…" Harry said. "How can you look at Liquid Snake and call him a soldier? Or even a warrior? Big Boss was a soldier and a warrior. The Boss was. Solid Snake is. You are. Liquid is a petulant manchild who has some sort of Oedipal thing going on about wanting to surpass his father!"

"What about you? Do you consider yourself a soldier?" Yasmin asked after a pause.

"A soldier is what I was _shaped_ to be, Yasmin. It's not who I am. I joined FoxHOUND to make a difference on the world by preventing lunatics from using nuclear blackmail, not enabling them! I'm only going along with this bullshit because I love you. As long as you're still alive at the end of this, I'm in this to the bitter end. I'm loyal to you, not to the US, not to FoxHOUND or Liquid's twisted attempt at creating a new Outer Heaven. Only you, Yasmin." Tears ran down his cheeks.

Yasmin was moved by his honesty, and gently walked forward, taking his hand. "Come on. We'll need to feed the family."

* * *

As they did so, they found a familiar figure sitting in the cave, feeding Berthold. The bespectacled figure of Emmerich, who looked up, startled, to see them here. "Wolf, Griffin, I…"

"It's okay, Emmerich," Yasmin said quietly. "We were just here to feed them. Are you all right?"

"I feel sick to my stomach," the hapless scientist responded, looking down at the icy floor of the cave. "They put a nuke into REX. A nuclear curse hounds the Emmerich family. I meant for Metal Gear REX to be used for peaceful purposes. Instead, it's tainted by nuclear weaponry."

"Hal," Harry said, "Metal Gear has been around for decades, and every iteration existed to fire nukes from any terrain. REX was based on blueprints created by a Russian scientist back in the Sixties. Metal Gear is cursed. You know about Dr Madnar and his versions. Hal, it's not you, it's other people trying to keep Metal Gear as it is, a nuclear-equipped walking battletank."

Emmerich nodded, but wept quietly. On an impulse, Yasmin brought out a handkerchief, and handed it to the scientist, who wiped the tears away with it absently. "Keep it," she said to him quietly.

"Thanks," Emmerich said quietly. Then, as if emboldened by the almost intimate gesture, he demanded, "Griffin, Wolf, why are you doing this?! Why are you helping Liquid with this?"

"I want revenge on a world that ignored the plight of my people," Yasmin said, sadly. "And Griffin…he does this because he loves me. He got dragged into this. Emmerich…we're not going to put you back in your lab. But for your sake if nobody else's, stay out of the way. Neither Liquid nor Ocelot would have any qualms about killing you should they find you trying to stop us."

Emmerich nodded, but as he stood, he asked, "What motivates you to keep up those codenames all the time? I mean, I like to go by 'Otacon' on the internet, but…you keep up those codenames like they're your real names. I mean, Liquid, Ocelot, Raven, Solid Snake, Gray Fox, and you two…why do you choose those names?"

Eventually, Harry said, "Because it's the mask we wear. The mask of a soldier. Of a warrior. I mean, you remember the Boss, the one your mother fell in love with. In a way, she and the Cobra Unit started it all, at least where we are. A _nom de guerre_ is as old as time itself, but, well, it's the Boss who really started the fad living with us today. We're still human beings…but when we're on the job, we can't afford to be."

Emmerich nodded, sadly. And the feeding of the other wolves passed by in silence.

* * *

Later, in their quarters, Harry and Yasmin were making love again. Not the hurried, frenzied, hasty coupling of earlier, but slower, gentler, taking care to pleasure each other to the full as they did so. There was something lugubrious about their lovemaking, as if they knew that they could die that day, and were performing some solemn ritual affirming their bond.

Just as they finished, the Codec beeped shrilly in their ears. Liquid was calling them. " _Liquid, d'you have to blue-ball us?_ " Harry snapped irritably. Not that he had interrupted them per se, but it was still not fun.

" _You two are needed. Snake has escaped from the Tank Hangar, and we need you both to set up ambushes. Wolf, you will fight off Snake at the Snowfield between the Comms Towers and the Blast Furnace. Griffin, you will confront Snake at the top of the Comms Tower. Get dressed and get going. Use your Apparition to get Wolf into position._ " Liquid's voice was colder than ever, colder than the blizzard outside, colder than liquid helium. Harry felt that something was wrong, very wrong indeed. He knew he would be sent out to stop Snake sooner or later, but being put before Yasmin?

" _Fine. But I'm Apparating the hell out of there if things get too hairy_ ," Harry snapped. " _And if Wolf gets injured by Snake, I'm doing the same thing. Clear?_ "

" _Crystal. I've taken Silverburgh to the REX Hangar. Raven's waiting to confront Snake in one of the refrigerated areas. The fool thinks he can truly take on Snake. He's no longer needed._ "

" _And what about us?_ " Harry asked pointedly.

" _Just follow your orders. Liquid out._ "

"God, I prefer talking to Ocelot to him," Harry snarled after he cut off the connection. He looked at Yasmin. "Yasmin, promise me that you won't take any chances. I won't. The moment Snake gets too close to killing me, I'm heading your way. And the moment he seems like he's going to kill you, I'm getting you out of there."

Yasmin sat up in bed, not even caring to cover her breasts. "Harry, are you all right?"

"Of course I'm not. I feel as sick as Emmerich does," Harry said with a scowl. "I'm afraid. Afraid of Metal Gear, and of Liquid, and of Solid Snake, and of the Patriots, and dying. The thing I'm most afraid of is seeing you die, Yasmin. And the thing is about Liquid is that he doesn't care, I'm sure of it. We're just his meatshields. All so he can found his version of Outer Heaven on our corpses."

Her hand gently clutched his shoulder, and she looked into his eyes with her deep blue ones. "Be that as it may, Harry, it's our job to fight, or die. Let's get dressed and kitted up, and then we'll head to our ambush points…"

 **CHAPTER 9 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, some Snake in bondage, and some emotive scenes with Harry and Wolf/Yasmin. Next chapter, Snake versus Griffin…and a startling revelation.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Squadpunk 2.0** **: Soon, she will find out, and it won't be pretty.**

 **CCBottle** **and** **badboys8520** **: Snake is pretty smart, and while he does fail to put some clues together at times, there are other times when he can. I thought to do this to show his intelligence a bit more.**

 **BBWulf** **: Have you played any of the** ** _Metal Gear_** **games, particularly** ** _Metal Gear Solid_** **?**

 **1\. Wolf, in some material related to the game, is said to use bullets with mercury in them to poison her foes. I thought I'd discuss this to explain why Meryl and Snake are fine after getting hit by Wolf.**


	11. Chapter 10: A Lover's Quarrel

**CHAPTER 10:**

 **A LOVER'S QUARREL**

Harry was perched on his broomstick, no mean feat in a blizzard, but he had played Quidditch in a rainstorm, with Dementors attacking during the game. This was still harder, but he was good at flying in hard conditions. It was cold as hell, though, but not as cold as Liquid Snake's heart.

He had dropped Wolf off at her ambush location. And now, he was up here, waiting. Something was wrong. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. But it was there. Then again, at times, he felt like Mad-Eye Moody had infected him with his paranoia. "CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he could hear the grizzled, scarred Auror bellow in the depths of his memory. Murdered by a Death Eater while trying to save Harry's life. What would Moody have made of the life Harry now led?

As if on cue, the Sorrow appeared. " _I could summon him, if you wish_ ," he offered.

"No," Harry said to the Cobra ghost. "No, some of the dead should remain buried. I've made my peace with Moody, Lupin and Tonks. And with my parents and Sirius. Sorrow, am I actually making a difference here? Will I be able to stop what Liquid has started?"

" _I do not know. Your presence has helped many things. Now, Emma Emmerich will be less tempted to join the Arsenal Gear program. And Snake has gone in without blinkers. I hope that you have changed enough, Harry. But I can only see futures but dimly._ " He watched as the door opened, and Snake stepped through. " _I should go._ "

Snake clearly saw the phantom Cobra fade away, because he called out over the howling wind of the blizzard, "Who was that?"

"A ghost of the past," Harry said. He looked down at Snake from his perch. "It's time to play our roles, Snake." He brought out his wand from the wrist holster in his sleeve. "You're the hero, and I'm the villain." A bitter chuckle wormed its way from his throat. "With a wave of this wand, I could paralyse you, kill you instantly, make you feel such pain that makes Ocelot's torture feel like the caress of a lover. It makes your SOCOM look like a rock axe in comparison. The man who crafted it once said I would do great things, just like the wand that gave me my scar did. Voldemort did terrible things, but great things on a scale you couldn't do with one man with a gun." He put his wand up in a salute. "So, shall we dance, Snake?"

Snake's response was to draw an M9 pistol. Harry recognised it as a form modified to fire tranquiliser rounds. "Yeah," he said.

Before either of them could do anything, though, there was the scream of a volley of rockets, which smashed into the bridge linking the two towers by their roofs. And Harry whirled, spinning the broom to find the Hind-D gunship, Liquid at the controls, sneering at Harry.

"What the hell, Liquid?!" Harry yelled at him, before activating his Codec. " _Dammit, Liquid, I had him!_ "

" _Of course you did…traitor!_ " Liquid snarled, using the external speakers of the helicopter gunship he was piloting.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Harry yelled out loud, only to be answered by a chuckle from the blonde bastard. Liquid clearly read his lips, because there was no way he could have been heard over the sound of the storm and the rotors(1).

" _Mantis and I have had a bond ever since that false version of Big Boss 'rescued' us!_ " Liquid sneered. " _As he died, he caught a glimpse in Snake's mind that you were an informant, helping Snake! He sent me that, so I've known since Mantis was killed. Of course, Wolf was rather upset when I told her. You'd even turn traitor to the love of your life? How callous of you, Griffin…or should I say, Harry Potter? The Boy Who Lived. The vanquisher of Lord Voldemort. Well, let's see if machine gun fire will kill you!_ "

Harry ducked and weaved on the broom. Liquid's mastery over using the helicopter was good, but the broom was infinitely more manoeuvrable. Harry sent a Bombarda spell Liquid's way, and as the explosive spell hit home (albeit doing little more than rocking the helicopter), Harry landed near Snake. "Okay, the jig's up. Hop on, now!"

Snake held on tight, understandably nervous about trusting his life to a broomstick, and Harry took off, going over the railing, and heading down to the other bridge, the one connecting the towers further down. Harry pulled up out of the steep dive at the last moment (making a Wronski Feint look like child's play by comparison), and sped towards a trio of Genome Soldiers, who were startled to see one of their superiors bowling towards them on a broomstick. They dove out of the way, and Snake, having switched his M9 for his SOCOM, shot the three of them. They followed the bridge to the tower, and dismounted from the broomstick, hurrying into the tower just as Liquid flew in their direction, firing at them with the machine gun on the Hind-D.

"Bastard!" Harry snarled at the closed door. "You stupid, malicious, petty and petulant bastard, Liquid!"

Snake noticed a box down by their feet, and murmured, "A consolation prize. Look, a Stinger missile launcher. That could help bring down the Hind-D."

Harry only half-heard him, smashing his fist into the wall. "Damn you, Liquid."

"Harry." He felt Snake's hand on his shoulder, and Harry turned around. "You did what you had to do."

"Yeah, but it might have cost me the love of my life," Harry said, quietly. "She'll be gunning for me as much as she would be for you, Snake. Wolf doesn't take what she perceives as betrayal lightly. She hates the US, because of what happened during the first Gulf War. I knew I would have had to explain it sooner or later, but…"

Snake nodded. "I know. Harry, I want to ask you some things, but now may not be the best time…"

"No, no, I'll…I'll answer them. Anything to keep my mind off this…"

"Then how is Liquid my brother? Were we twins?"

"More than that, Snake," Harry said. "You were triplets, the product of Les Enfants Terrible, a project designed to create children for Big Boss. He was sterile, you see, and a man called Major Zero wanted to make sure Big Boss' legacy lasted. You and Liquid were products of that project. So too is President Sears, believe it or not."

"…Actually, I can. I've seen Sears, I've wondered why he looks so much like…like him," Snake said. He scoffed. "So Liquid and I are clones of Big Boss?"

"Crudely engineered, and with some traits relating to warfare enhanced. Liquid got recessive genes, many of them the better ones, while you got dominant genes that are more common. Genetically speaking, you should theoretically be inferior to him. But Liquid thinks he is the inferior one, and he's got a shaky grasp of biology, not to mention genetic determinism. Snake, you've proved yourself to be better than him. Genes shape your fate, but they don't determine every part of it. You may be a puppet of the government, but you at least try to do what you can. Liquid claims he's seeking freedom, but in reality, he's just repeating Big Boss' mistake, on a grander scale. There's another thing you should know."

"What?"

"There's a group pulling the strings of those who are pulling yours. The Patriots, a group once founded by Big Boss and Major Zero, but now in the hands of artificial intelligences. They effectively run the United States, and the world. I know it's fantastic, but the Patriots are the ones behind what is happening here. Liquid is fighting them, but in the wrong way. Should we survive this, I intend to fight them in what should be the right way."

Snake scoffed. "Well, I'll want to hear the whole story later. For now, we'll get the hell out of here…"

* * *

The stairs leading to the Snowfield, however, had been demolished, and Harry couldn't use a Reparo charm, not for want of trying. They had tried the elevator, but it was busted. He pulled out his broomstick. "Wolf's waiting down there."

"And according to Mei Ling, Liquid's circling the top of this tower like a vulture. Otacon's on his way, he's going to help fix the elevator. Harry…I'll go and deal with Liquid. You can deal with Wolf. Just remember…I can't have anything standing in the way of the mission. Do what you have to do."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Snake," Harry scoffed bitterly.

"I'm sorry. I don't want you to kill your lover…but she's in the way. Do what you can. Good luck."

Harry nodded, before mounting the broomstick, and carefully flying down the shattered stairwell, all the way to the bottom. He then took out the Invisibility Cloak, and made his way out, mounting the broomstick again just as he entered the Snowfield. As he flew around, his heart was heavy with the enormity of the task he had to do. He had to defeat his own lover.

After a few seconds of flying around, he heard his Codec go off. He answered it. " _Wolf._ "

" _Griffin._ " Her voice was even colder than the blizzard. " _I know you're there. I saw the door open. I saw no footprints, so it can't be Hal. You betrayed me, Griffin._ "

" _I betrayed Liquid_ ," Harry responded. " _He's a madman. You know me better than anyone else in FoxHOUND. How could you think I would sit idly by and allow him to inflict his insanity on the world?_ "

" _Shut up!_ " Wolf snarled, her voice heavy with emotion. " _You betrayed me, Griffin! You betrayed the love I felt for you! And the worst thing is, you're not even denying it! If you had said Liquid was lying, I would have…_ "

" _You deserved honesty from me, Wolf. Yes, I am helping Snake. To make sure you survive!_ "

" _Go to hell. I will love nobody who stinks of betrayal. You are my enemy, my special target, Griffin. The man I loved is dead. All that is left is a traitor._ "

" _Says the woman willing to inflict what she endured in her childhood upon so many other children. War and famine and pestilence and death. The Four Horsemen. Do you really want that to happen? Liquid does._ "

" _Shut up. Take off that damned Invisibility Cloak, and face me, Harry Potter!_ " she screamed, all but sobbing.

Harry soon found her, hiding near a snowdrift amongst the trees at one end of the Snowfield. " _Really? Do you want to see Harry Potter uncloaked(_ _2)_ _?_ "

" _Yes. But you never will, you coward. Hiding like men do before a strong woman._ "

"I never said you weren't strong, Yasmin," Harry said out loud. As she whirled to face him, he flung the Cloak into her face, and dropped down from the broomstick, which hovered just above him. "You're the strongest woman I have ever met. A proud wolf. And yet you follow Liquid to your death like a common dog! _Where is your pride, Sniper Wolf?!_ " he demanded, tears running down his face.

She struggled free of the Cloak, and then fired at him. He was already moving, pointing his wand at her and roaring, "EXPELLIARMUS!"

Her PSG-1 rifle was nearly torn from her grip, but she held onto it, merely being flung to the ground. She raised it and fired. Harry felt the bullet clip his ear, but tried his best to ignore the pain as he dashed towards her. Wolf swung out with the rifle's butt, smashing his ankle, and sending him to the snowy ground. She stood up, and stood over him, aiming the rifle at point-blank range, but a wordless _Depulsio_ spell sent her flying.

Harry remembered what Gray Fox had said about his fight with Snake in Zanzibar Land, when they hid the Cyborg Ninja in Naomi Hunter's home. He said that it had become not a fight of enemy versus enemy, but like a sport, a pure game where life and death was on the line. While it wasn't quite the case here, there was something almost liberating about this fight, something dangerous. He was losing himself in a warrior's frenzy, and while he could assume the role of a warrior, he was something else.

The spell had sent her flying into a tree, and with pained gasps, she struggled to her feet. "Wolf," Harry said. "Just stop."

"Never," Wolf said, tears running from her face, of physical and psychological pain. "You broke my heart, you bastard, so I'm going to shoot yours."

As she raised her rifle, he pointed his wand at the snowdrifts around them, a spell of his own making. The snow suddenly erupted in a wave that sent Wolf flying again, only to crash down onto the ground. As she lay there, stunned, he cast a Body-Bind on her.

Just as he walked over to her, he heard an explosion from above, and watched as the Hind-D began spiralling out of control. He heard Liquid scream through the external speakers, " _SNAAAAKE!_ ", before the helicopter gunship began to crash. The rotors were blown off, and Liquid ejected. The cockpit, burning up, headed straight for them, and as fast as he could, Harry erected a Shield Charm. Even so, the cockpit pinned them against a wall, Harry crushed up against Wolf.

The parachuting Liquid landed soon thereafter, and looked around the Snowfield. Then, he saw the burning cockpit. "Wolf said Griffin would be here. I can't see them. Maybe they got hit by the cockpit." He then scoffed contemptuously. "Good. Two birds with one stone. Liabilities, the pair of them, fucking like rabbits. A traitor, and his angst-ridden drama queen slattern. Only good for meatshields. Good riddance."

Wolf's eyes widened, and then narrowed. Liquid made his way into the Blast Furnace entrance. Then, Harry, after a few minutes, sent the cockpit flying with a _Depulsio_ spell, and then undid the Body-Bind. Wolf fell to her hands and knees, and began sobbing. She let Harry hold her as the anger she had felt towards him sublimated.

As her sobs petered out, Harry said, "I got you the FoxDIE vaccine from Ocelot. He called it a cold vaccine when he gave it to you. I want to save you, Wolf, and the world. That's why I did it. I know I kept secrets from you. I didn't want to, but you were so in favour of supporting this, I…I…" His own eyes filled with tears again.

Wolf nodded. "I…I understand, Harry. We mean _nothing_ to him. He claims to be following Saladin's dream, but he treats us as…worthless, _disposable_. Like the Patriots do." Her hand clenched into a fist. "He will die. He will die for what he treated me as. You value my life. He doesn't. _Bastard_."

A few minutes later, Emmerich arrived. "Wolf? Griffin? Are you two okay?"

"We're fine, Hal," Harry said, standing, helping Wolf to her feet. "Just working out some issues." He picked up Wolf's rifle, and handed it to her.

Wolf took it with a nod, and then looked at Emmerich. "I'm no longer with Liquid. He doesn't value my life. He is no son of Saladin. Saladin would not have sacrificed my life so readily."

"You mean Big Boss?" Emmerich asked. He had heard Wolf refer to Big Boss by the name of the famous military leader from the Crusades before.

Wolf nodded, and Harry said, "He's gone by a lot of names. Naked Snake, Ishmael, Jack, John Doe…Saladin's just what Wolf calls him."

"Saladin would not have betrayed me like that," Wolf said. "Not like so many others."

Emmerich then did something unexpected. He threw his arms around Wolf, and hugged her. Harry and Wolf were startled by the unexpected gesture, but allowed him to do so. "Wolf…" Emmerich said quietly, "nobody should treat you like that. I mean, I know you were working with Liquid, but…I know you are a good person. And Snake told me back in the Comms Tower that you've been working with him since he got here, Griffin." He broke off the hug, and gave a nervous smile. "You two were happy together, why stop now?"

A few minutes later than that, Snake approached, having come out of the Communications Tower. He looked at Harry, Wolf, and Emmerich together, and noted the lack of aggression in Wolf's eyes. "We good?" he asked, laconically.

"Liquid doesn't value my life," Wolf said. "I only ask that you let me put a bullet in his head when the time comes."

Snake nodded. "As long as you don't put a bullet in mine, I'd appreciate the help." He turned to Emmerich. "Otacon, find somewhere safe to hide. And any intel you can find on the emergency PAL key you can dig up, I'd appreciate it."

Emmerich nodded, and began walking, well, limping away. Harry, meanwhile, managed to find his broomstick and his Invisibility Cloak. Putting them to one side for the moment, he looked at Snake, and at Wolf. The three fighters nodded in agreement, and then headed to the Blast Furnace entrance. It was a relief not to play a role anymore, Harry reflected. But now, the more difficult part began. Stopping Liquid, and making sure he didn't activate Metal Gear REX…

 **CHAPTER 10 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **And there you have it. Liquid and Wolf have learned of Griffin's betrayal, and Wolf has realised how little Liquid values his underlings. When you think about it, Liquid is very much a man who thinks his comrades and colleagues disposable, which makes him a hypocrite. He's trying to have Snake activate Metal Gear REX through a major deception, but allows his best allies to be killed in the process.** ** _The Phantom Pain_** **suggests that he has always been this callous towards his allies, apparently, so I've put that in here.**

 **1\. How else could Liquid Snake and Solid Snake speak to each other during their confrontation, with Liquid in a noisy helicopter?**

 **2\. This is a reference to the novel** ** _The Lord of the Rings_** **, where Gandalf, upon finding Bilbo increasingly reluctant to give up the Ring, says "It will be my turn to get angry soon. If you say that again, I shall. Then you will see Gandalf the Grey uncloaked." And by 'that', he means Bilbo calling the Ring his 'precious'.**


	12. Chapter 11: Fire and Ice

**CHAPTER 11:**

 **FIRE AND ICE**

As they descended into the Blast Furnace, Harry got Snake and Wolf up to speed. "Can we really trust Ocelot?" Snake asked.

"He has his own agenda, but yes. He's loyal to Big Boss, not Liquid, but I think he's pretending to work for the Patriots and Sears as well. Besides, the Sorrow knows his true agenda."

"That ghost guy who hung around you?" Snake asked. "Who is he, anyway?"

"One of the Cobra Unit," Wolf said. "We'll talk about that later. Harry, do you think that FoxDIE vaccine Ocelot gave us is real?"

"If it isn't, we're dead, simple as that," Harry said. "Snake's had a chance to infect all of us by now, so theoretically, you and I should have died from its effects long ago. But it doesn't mean that Naomi or her superiors haven't put in some wildcard factor."

"Miller seemed suspicious about Naomi…" Snake started, before he saw Harry and Wolf looking at him. "What?"

"Miller's dead, Snake. Liquid's been impersonating him," Harry said. "Ocelot went and killed him ages ago. Liquid's been feeding you intel."

"It panned out," Snake said, apparently finding it hard to believe that Miller was dead.

"He was telling you what you needed to hear." Harry looked down from the gantry they were on to the glowing hot metal of the furnace. "But Naomi has her own stake. Gray Fox is her adopted brother."

"Jaeger is her brother?!" Snake demanded. "Does she want me dead?"

"I hope not. I thought I persuaded her otherwise when she helped Gray Fox escape," Harry said. "But it's possible she included you in the FoxDIE target list. Or maybe the Pentagon ordered you be on it. Or maybe, because, save for some genes, you're practically Liquid's identical twin, they'd kill both of you. I only heard rumours about how FoxDIE works. All that we can hope for is that we've got at least enough time to destroy Metal Gear REX and stop Liquid. Wolf's the best living sniper in the world, you've destroyed Metal Gear twice before, and me?" Harry gave a grim smile. "I'm Harry fucking Potter, the Boy Who Lived. An overgrown metal Godzilla is nothing compared to Voldemort. What is Liquid Snake compared to us? He's a whiny, petulant little brat with daddy issues up the wazoo. But the three of us are legends. And we're legends for a reason. We've been to Hell, and we've survived. More than that, we've come out stronger. We may have been tools of the government, or of the Patriots, or of Liquid, but we're not broken. At least we're not anymore. We are not broken tools."

That being said, he peered across the room, until his gaze came to the massive double doors. He looked at the guards and their patrols, before nodding. "Snake, Wolf, get a hold of me. This'll be a bit disorienting, Snake."

"What is?"

"Apparation. It's like a form of teleportation. It's what I used to get away from you in Emmerich's lab," Harry said.

"Can you take us to REX's hangar?" Snake asked.

"Theoretically, yes, but if we suddenly appear right in front of a guard…well, it makes a noise like a gunshot anyway, it's not really stealthy. Even doing it now is risky. We'll have to get through those doors quickly before the guards investigate."

Snake nodded. "Right, when you're ready."

Harry timed the Apparation so that the guards were further away, concentrating enough to try and mitigate the noise. Then, they were through the doors, and in a room with a cargo elevator very quickly. The three former members of FoxHOUND ran over to the cargo elevator, and Harry activated it. "Basement level, cold storage, crows, and weapons of mass destruction. Going down," he remarked facetiously.

As they descended slowly, a quartet of soldiers leapt out from the loading area, and landed on the elevator. Snake and Wolf, without hesitation, shot two, while Harry hit the other two with Cutting Curses, which had much the same effect when powered up. Well, as a shotgun blast point blank. Harry scowled. "Liquid must've thought to harass you by sending these four idiots to kill you," he muttered. He put a hand to his head. "These were probably Liquid's most loyal supporters, and he sent them here basically to keep you on your toes, knowing you'd probably kill them."

"Why his most loyal supporters?" Snake asked.

"Many of the Next Generation Special Forces were indoctrinated by Mantis. Others joined Liquid because their enhancements with Big Boss' genes were faulty, and had the potential to cause genetic disease. That's why they want Big Boss' body." Harry walked over to the railing of the lift. "Liquid still thinks Big Boss is dead, but the Patriots merely have him in a coma, although horribly burned thanks to your improvised flamethrower at Zanzibar Land."

"Saladin is still alive?!" Wolf demanded. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know whether you'd believe me, Wolf," Harry said.

Snake walked over to Harry. "Liquid said something about a false Big Boss. Now, I was certain I killed Big Boss in Outer Heaven, but he turned up alive and well in Zanzibar Land. Was he a body double?"

Harry nodded. "I've talked to him through the Sorrow. He was once Big Boss' top medic in _Militaires Sans Frontières_ , one of his first precursors to Outer Heaven. But a mission to rescue a couple of comrades went south, badly. Both Big Boss and this medic, call him Ahab for the moment, got injured so badly, they were in a coma for nine years. Ahab, as part of an operation to divert attention from the real Big Boss, was subjected to plastic surgery and hypnotherapy to make him look and think like Big Boss. Ahab became a new Big Boss, also known as Venom Snake. I won't recount everything that happened, but apparently Venom Snake was every bit as good as Big Boss was. In a way, they both were Big Boss, like a hydra. It was Venom Snake who you fought in Outer Heaven, while it was the original Big Boss who you fought in Zanzibar Land."

Snake looked at Harry and Wolf. "Well, they felt like the same guy," he said. "Liquid knew Venom Snake?"

"Both he and Psycho Mantis encountered Venom Snake for the first time in 1984," Harry said. "And Wolf has spoken to a sniper who worked alongside Venom Snake known as Quiet. Emmerich even has a connection to that time: his parents worked with Big Boss. A lot of us are bound here by threads of fate. Some of it genetic, some of it historic."

"Wonderful," Snake growled. "Anyone else I know who isn't dead?"

"Dr Madnar, apparently. He's somewhere in Eastern Europe, last I heard."

"Huh."

They had to switch to another cargo elevator, and then, Snake had to take a Codec call. After a while, he hung up, and turned to Wolf and Harry. "That was Miller, well, Liquid. Naomi made a comment earlier about her Japanese grandfather being part of the FBI. Miller just pointed out that J Edgar Hoover, who was head at the time, was a notorious racist, and the anti-Mafia operations the grandfather was supposed to have participated in started in Chicago in the 60s, not New York in the 50s. He hasn't said anything further, though."

"Liquid's trying to stir up trouble. You already know she's Gray Fox's adoptive sister. And you know she's the one who created FoxDIE. If we're lucky, she's decided not to take revenge."

"And if we're not…Harry…Wolf…I need you to finish the mission. Stop Metal Gear REX and Liquid, and make sure Meryl and Otacon are fine," Snake said. Then, he frowned as ravens began to fly overhead. "What's this?"

"Shit," Wolf muttered. "Raven's waiting up ahead. He likes hanging out in the refrigerated areas."

"That guy from the tank, right? I saw the files on him," Snake said. "Is it true that he can wield a Vulcan gun from a jet?"

"Complete with ammo barrel," Harry said with a groan. "I'm pretty sure he once worked for Big Boss, too. He's one of the saner members of FoxHOUND, present company excluded obviously, but he loves a good battle. He's also a smart cookie as well. If we're lucky, we can negotiate with him. But if we're unlucky…"

"Yes," Snake said, checking his Socom pistol pointedly. "I know. Harry, Wolf, what about Meryl?"

"She's alive as far as I know," Harry said.

"She'd better be. Ocelot might be against the Patriots, but he made me go through torture. If I cried uncle, her life would be forfeit. I didn't dare give him the satisfaction. If she's dead, then anti-Patriots or not, I'm making sure he follows her into the grave."

Once the cargo lift had stopped, they made their way into the refrigerated Warehouse. There, perched on top of a shipping container, surrounded by dozens of ravens, was Vulcan Raven himself, kitted out with his Vulcan gun. He stood, and looked down at them. "Welcome, Kasack!" he said to Snake. "This is the end of the road for you, right, my friends?"

He was referring to the ravens rather than Harry or Wolf. As they cawed in apparent agreement, Harry looked up at Raven. "So you're the next meatshield Liquid's put in the way?"

"A rather unflattering description, Griffin. Or should I call you by your birthname, Harry Potter? Liquid told me he was sure you and Wolf were dead."

"He thought wrong, Raven," Wolf said. "He has turned his back on Saladin and his ideals, Raven. Do you want to abandon them yourself?"

"That is not my desire, Wolf. We intend to test Snake's true mettle."

"Nice pets you have," Snake remarked.

"Indeed," Raven agreed. "Ravens are not mere scavengers as most people believe. They return to the Earth what is no longer needed. They will sometimes attack wounded foxes."

"All is One, and One is All," Harry remarked, remembering when Emmerich managed to get him to read the manga of _Fullmetal Alchemist_.

"Indeed."

Snake peered up at Raven. "That tank must've been a tight fit for a big boy like you."

Raven laughed heartily, before saying, "But that was no true battle." He leapt down, his impact hitting the floor causing a brief tremor through the floor. He was a towering giant, complete with minigun, ready to wreak havoc. "The ravens and I were testing you, to see what kind of man you really were. The judgement has been decided. You are a true warrior. Now the real test begins."

To Harry's shock, the raven tattoo on Raven's forehead flared, and then seemed to fly towards Snake. The three couldn't move as a raven flew down to Snake's shoulder. "Am I…hallucinating?"

Harry looked at Raven. "Is this your people's magic?"

"Of a sort," Raven said. "I do not need a carved stick for my power." To Snake, he said, "The Raven has put his mark of death upon you. Blood from the East flows through your veins. Ah, your ancestors too were raised on the barren plains of Mongolia. The Inuit and the Japanese are cousins to each other. We share many ancestors, you and I."

And then, suddenly, as if a switch had been flicked, the paralysis ceased. Snake snarked, "I would have known if I had crows in my family tree."

"I'm not fond of snakes myself, but your kinship overrides such concerns. After all, one can choose one's friends, but not one's family." Raven approached Snake. "You live in Alaska too, I know. You are aware of the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics?"

Snake smiled. "Yeah. You'd be a shoe-in for the Sled Pull and the Four-Man Carry. Do you do the Muktuk Eating Contest too(1)?"

Raven laughed. The hearty laugh was filled with good humour, and not the laugh of a man about to try and kill another. "Of course. But there is another event I excel at: the Ear Pull."

"Oh, Merlin," Harry groaned, facepalming. "Isn't that the one where you tie dental floss or something around two people's ears and have them do a tug of war that could rip their ears off? You showed me a picture of that once. Ugh, the blood!"

Raven scoffed at Harry's exclamation. "For one who has gone through such hardships as yourself, you are remarkably squeamish. And you miss the point. They do so while enduring the cold, as a test of physical and spiritual strength."

"I don't have any dental floss on me," Harry snarked.

"That is not necessary," Raven said. "The form shall be different, but the principle will be the same. Rejoice, Snake, for ours will be a glorious battle."

Snake's face twisted in anger. "Violence isn't glorious or a sport. It's just plain killing!"

"We'll see if there is iron in your words," Raven said.

"And what of us? Are you going to fight us?" Wolf asked.

"If you interfere, then yes," Raven said.

"Well, what can I say?" Harry sighed, taking his wand from his jacket. "I have a bad habit of interfering."

 **CHAPTER 11 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Nothing much to say here, really. Hope you enjoy. Last chapter for a while, frankly.**

 **1\. I combined the lines used in both versions of the game.**


	13. Chapter 12: Four Against Doomsday

**CHAPTER 12:**

 **FOUR AGAINST DOOMSDAY(** **1)**

The problem with Raven was that he was able to shake off any spell very swiftly. Harry wondered whether the giant man actually had any Giant blood in him, like Hagrid. He personally doubted it. Raven simply seemed to be resistant to magic, shaking off Body-Binds and Stunner spells with contemptuous ease. The best Harry managed to be was a distraction, while Wolf and Snake took potshots at the massive shaman. But the man simply used his gun and the ammo barrel as shields

Deciding to try a different tack, Harry got Snake and Wolf onto the broomstick, and brought them on top of the shipping containers. His reasoning was moderately sound: human eyesight is more attuned to horizontal perception than vertical. It was partly because threats were more likely to come from all around, in two dimensions, rather than in three dimensions.

However, Raven soon cottoned on, claiming his friends, the ravens, had spotted them, and shooting at the containers, causing them to collapse and send his adversaries crashing to the ground. Harry formulated one last desperate plan, and got close to the door, ready to go through it with his PAN card when he needed to. He didn't want to resort to this, especially against Raven, who might be persuaded to change sides. But needs must. Opening the doors, Snake and Wolf dashing through it, Harry levelled his wand at Raven, who emerged from behind a shipping container. "RAVEN!" Harry bellowed. "SURRENDER! OR I WILL USE FIENDFYRE!"

Raven looked at Harry as if he was mad. In a way, Harry was. "You would not dare, Harry Potter."

"Won't I? It'll be confined to this room only. All I have to do is run out of the doors."

Suddenly, the ravens flew at Harry. No, not at, past him, fleeing the room. Raven looked at Harry. "Your resolve seems strong. But I don't think it's strong enough, though my friends disagree."

As Raven hefted his minigun, ready to mow down Harry, Harry proved him wrong. "FIENDFYRE!" he roared.

Diabolical flame burst from his wand, heading straight for Raven, who dodged to the side, his eyes widening. As the flames writhed and grew, flying around the room, Harry leapt out of the room, and shut the doors. "What the hell was that?" Snake demanded.

"Fiendfyre. The magical equivalent of napalm, only alive and ravenous," Harry said grimly. "And barely controllable. I've just unleashed Hell inside that room, and…"

Suddenly, interrupting Harry, the doors slid open, and Raven leapt through with an alacrity Harry was surprised that the large man possessed, though it helped that he had ditched the minigun and ammo barrel. The door was shut as quickly as it was opened, though not before Snake and Wolf got a glimpse into Hell, the refrigerated warehouse being consumed by flames. Even as the doors shut, they heard what sounded like bestial roaring, that only died down after a few minutes.

Raven stared at the door in considerable shock. "Fiendfyre…I have not seen its like for years. I had hoped never to see it ever again," he finally said.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, Raven," Harry said. "D'you think Liquid will really create an Outer Heaven that Big Boss would have been proud of?"

After a time, Raven got to his feet. "No. I merely played along, hoping that he would succeed in what Big Boss failed to achieve. Or that General Ivan would keep him on that path."

"General Ivan?" Snake asked.

"He means Ocelot," Harry said.

"And I wished to test myself against the legendary Solid Snake," Raven said, folding his massive arms.

"Liquid has turned his back on Saladin and his ideals, Raven," Sniper Wolf said. "He didn't care whether I lived or died. Saladin would not have viewed his soldiers as that disposable."

"And you wish me to join your side?" Raven asked.

"We can use all the help we can get. Leaving aside Emmerich, and maybe Ocelot, it's only the three of us so far against doomsday. Maybe four against doomsday might be better," Harry said. "Big Boss wanted a world where soldiers had their place, not one consumed by perpetual warfare. The Boss had the same dream, albeit different to Big Boss. When we stop Liquid, we can revive their dream, the way it was meant to be. Not as Outer Heaven, or the Diamond Dogs, or _Militaires Sans Frontières_." Harry shook his head. "One thing at a time. We need to stop the Malfoy with pecs from activating the walking nuclear-equipped deathmobile first."

Snake nodded, before he put a hand to his ear. "Wait a moment, the fake Miller is trying to call me."

As Snake took the Codec call, Raven looked at Harry. "You told him about the impersonation?"

"I was the mole working to help Snake get through. As long as Wolf survived, I didn't really care. Hoped to save you too, though."

"A good thing to be wanted," Raven remarked dryly. "But what about FoxDIE?"

"Ocelot gave Yasmin and I doses of what he claimed to be the vaccine," Harry explained. "If we're lucky, Snake's superiors will give those of us who help him a pardon. Raven, I didn't want to lose Yasmin all because Liquid decided he wanted to do better than the father he has issues about." He looked down the corridor, leading to a waterway just before the Hangar containing Metal Gear REX. "FoxHOUND has been better to me than most. But there's loyalty to a good cause, and there is loyalty to a cause that will set the world aflame. Liquid's like Voldemort, not caring who he hurts. I'll be damned if I allow him to get control over Metal Gear REX."

A few minutes later, Snake finished his Codec call, and turned to Harry and the others. "Miller just exposed Naomi. I revealed I already knew, and that Miller was Liquid in disguise. Campbell seemed shocked and astonished, but Liquid was stupid enough to reveal himself. We've just backed him into a corner."

"Did you say anything about FoxDIE?" Harry asked.

"Liquid did," Snake said bitterly. "And the Colonel noticed that I wasn't surprised, I think. They're going to question Naomi about whether she included me in the FoxDIE listing. I also told him I knew Naomi had a relation to Gray Fox."

* * *

They made their way through the waterway area, and into the Metal Gear REX hangar. Snake looked up at the massive mecha in awe, and so did the others. Raven had opted to join them, if only because he couldn't fight Snake to the death as he had wanted. And as Liquid was running roughshod over Big Boss' ideals, not to mention those of the Boss, he decided he wanted no part of Liquid's revolution anymore.

Metal Gear REX looked like Godzilla picked out in angular green metal. A variety of weapons, from machine guns to an electron laser to missile launchers, festooned the beast. It was very much a war machine for the modern age. But oddly, there appeared to be no guards walking along the catwalks running throughout the hangar.

Snake suddenly received a Codec message, from Emmerich. He had started hacking into the files. Emmerich claimed that he had overheard a guard claiming that the PAL codes had already been entered. Harry told Snake otherwise. "They're trying to dupe you into using the emergency key," Harry said. "Ask Emmerich whether they can activate Metal Gear REX without the PAL codes."

Snake nodded, before calling Emmerich. Eventually, he said, "They can. But they won't be able to arm the nuclear warhead."

They began climbing the various catwalks, finding no guard, though they could see Ocelot and Liquid moving around in a control centre. Emmerich called a couple of times. He told Snake that he had confirmed the info about the railgun being used to fire nukes as a stealth system. However, he soon managed to find more info: namely how the emergency key worked. Emmerich called just as they neared the control room. Snake relayed to them quietly that Otacon had learned it was three keys in one.

It was clever, really. The active parts of the card were based on temperature-sensitive shape memory alloy. These active elements changed shape based on temperature. The card had to be entered in a normal room temperature configuration, a cold temperature configuration, and a hot temperature configuration.

Snake handed the key card to Harry, before inching closer to the control centre door. Harry himself could just hear what Liquid and Ocelot were talking about from just below the bulletproof glass, where the three former FoxHOUND agents were hiding. "…still no response from Washington," Liquid was muttering. "We'll have to show them we mean business."

"Do I set it to Chernoton, Russia?" Ocelot asked.

Liquid shook his head. "No. I have decided to choose a new target: Lop Nor in China. I'm sure that Gurlukovich wouldn't want to see a nuke hit his homeland."

Ocelot scoffed. "There's nothing in Lop Nor worth hitting."

"Wrong. It's a nuclear testing site. If we hit a major population centre, the game's over. The world will come at us full force, and given how much Snake has decimated our troops and Mantis' death has lessened the conditioning, we will not be able to withstand it. But a nuclear explosion at an existing test site? Easily covered up," Liquid said with a smile. "And President Sears and Washington will doubtless be pissing themselves thinking that the Chinese may retaliate in kind."

 _You clever bastard, Liquid_ , Harry thought to himself. It looked like Liquid was finally using his brain.

"So there'd be top secret talks between Sears and the President of China," Ocelot mused. "And during those talks, Sears would be forced to admit the existence of Metal Gear REX and the railgun launch system."

"A nuclear weapon that majorly upsets the status quo. It'll destabilise Sears' reputation, not to mention that of the US."

"And with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, China and India and…" Ocelot's eyes widened in realisation. Harry was sure that Ocelot knew all this, though, and was putting on an act, for the most part.

"You see? Every country who hears about Metal Gear REX will want one of their very own, and will come to us. Washington and Sears will have to break once we threaten to sell the specs to their top secret weapon to the highest bidder."

"Big Boss' DNA, and a billion dollars," Liquid said. "That money will go towards healing the genetic damage in the Genome Soldiers. I've also included the FoxDIE vaccine in our demands. That bastard Griffin must have told Snake about it. Snake didn't seem surprised when I revealed its existence when he exposed me to Campbell."

"Griffin sold us out to save his own hide," Ocelot said. "And that of Wolf's, I'd wager."

"Hmm. I thought them dead after the Hind-D wreckage crashed into them. The way Snake spoke of them over Codec, however, suggests they may both be alive, and both against us. Still, I doubt that Washington would spare them from FoxDIE. What of Gurlukovich? Is your friend from Spetsnaz ready to fully support us yet?"

Ocelot shook his head. "He still has his doubts about Metal Gear REX's capabilities. Even though these ones were based on Granin's designs."

"Prudent man," Liquid remarked sarcastically.

"Prudent and greedy," Ocelot said. "He's just being cautious. He wants Metal Gear so badly, he can taste it. Once he sees it in action, he'll be on board wholeheartedly. In order for Russia to regain its superiority as a superpower, they need to reinforce their nuclear arsenal. And Metal Gear REX, with a warhead that can't be intercepted, would do nicely, making sure they have first strike capability over the rest of the world."

Liquid snorted with disdain. "Their regular army is a mess. Nuclear weapons aren't the sole key to reviving their military might. Gurlukovich is no warrior, Ocelot. He's a politician."

"That politician got us the Hind-D and our heavy firepower," Ocelot protested.

"He also has over a thousand men under his command," Liquid pointed out, before he became thoughtful. "If we joined forces, we could put up quite the resistance here. Mantis' demise means the indoctrination is wearing off, and morale's beginning to sink. An alliance with the Russians could help that. Yes, why not? Let's stay here, and dig in for a long war. We have the most powerful weapon in the world, and we'll have the troops to support it."

"Are you going to fight the whole world?!" Ocelot demanded.

"Why not? We can hit anywhere on this planet with a nuclear weapon that cannot be intercepted. This base is filled with spare warheads to boot. Once the DNA and money are in our hands, the world is our oyster."

"But your promise to Gurlukovich…"

"I have no interest in the revival of that mephitic corpse known as 'Mother Russia'," Liquid sneered. "No, I have another revival in mind, as you very well know. Big Boss' dream…but on _my_ terms. From this day forth, this is no longer Shadow Moses Island." Liquid chuckled, before uttering a proclamation with the solemn conviction of a prophet, and the madness of a raving egomaniac.

"Now, this place will be known as _Outer Heaven_."

 **CHAPTER 12 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Sorry about the wait for the next chapter, guys. Lacking inspiration for it. Hopefully, there might be less wait for new chapters, as this story is entering the endgame, one that is somewhat different to the main game.**

 **No reviews to answer, really.**

 **1\. This is a reference to the title of a** ** _Doctor Who_** **story called** ** _Four to Doomsday_** **. Ironically, it also ranks as one of my least favourite stories in the series.**


	14. Chapter 13: Metal Gear Rising

**CHAPTER 13:**

 **METAL GEAR RISING**

In the aftermath of Liquid's bombastic pronouncement, Ocelot eventually said, "What about the PAL being overridden? If the code is entered again, then it'll be deactivated."

 _Bullshit_ , Harry mouthed to Wolf. She smirked. Liquid and Ocelot were quite good actors when they put their minds to it. It was one of Liquid's undeniable talents. For Ocelot, it was the cornerstone of his character.

"There's no need to worry. Baker and Anderson are dead. Even so, did you interrogate Snake? Does he know of that card key?"

"He didn't say. And he didn't have any key on him."

"Then nothing can stop Metal Gear now," Liquid said.

Harry winced. He remembered an old _Doctor Who_ episode Emmerich had roped him into watching. It ended with the villain, an Austrian-accented man called Zarroff, screaming "NOTHING IN THE WORLD CAN STOP ME NOW!" Harry knew that Liquid would emulate him if he had the chance(1).

"And the Silverburgh woman?"

"Let her live for now," Liquid said. "Campbell and Snake care for her. We need a trump card. Especially with Griffin and Wolf alive and against us."

Snake's voice came through on the Codec. _Griffin, Wolf…I'm going in. Back me up, and bring Raven with you_.

Harry nodded. He clapped Raven's shoulder. "Time to stop this farce, Raven," Harry said quietly.

The quartet then made their way into the control room, Snake and Wolf holding Liquid and Ocelot at gunpoint, Harry whipping out his wand. "Freeze," Snake said, perhaps a little redundantly.

"Or what?" Liquid asked. "Would you really shoot your own brother?" He seemed rather calm, considering. So too was Ocelot, but that was his default state, though he had his revolver out. Harry didn't like that one bit.

"I killed Big Boss," Snake said. "My father. So, compared to patricide, fratricide's a cinch. I know about _Les Enfants Terrible_. And I know you haven't gotten the PAL codes from Anderson. You were going to trick me into using the override key."

"I see that Griffin's been feeding you spoilers," Liquid asked, folding his arms. "Is this the part where I am supposed to surrender, or die?"

"I know you wouldn't surrender," Harry said. "Outer Heaven? You're just doing this to one-up Big Boss, both Big Bosses. Venom Snake and Naked Snake."

"You betrayed Saladin and his ideals," Wolf said quietly, though the undertone of her anger was clear in her voice. "He would not toss aside the lives of his people so carelessly."

"And you think you will escape FoxDIE?" Liquid sneered. "The Pentagon didn't think twice about killing Baker or Octopus with it. Without me, you will never get the vaccine, Wolf."

"I already got a dose for myself and Wolf," Harry said, not mentioning Ocelot's involvement. "I can get one for Raven, and for Snake. This ends now, Liquid. The only question is, are you going to die quietly?"

"Never." Suddenly, troops burst into the room, holding them at gunpoint. "I can multitask, hold multiple conversations, even by Codec, which is how I called in the cavalry. We're in a bit of a Mexican standoff, aren't we?" Liquid asked.

Suddenly, Ocelot began firing his revolver. The loud report was deafening in the control room, and it took a moment for the others to realise he was aiming at, and hitting the troops. But in the confusion as Harry and the others stopped the troopers, Liquid dashed out, though not before smashing a button on the control panel. A button that activated Metal Gear REX.

"After him!" Snake yelled. They dashed out, in time to see Liquid running for the now-open cockpit of Metal Gear REX. Harry fired spells, while Ocelot and Snake fired their weapons, but to no avail. Liquid closed the cockpit in time.

" _You fools!_ " Liquid roared over the speakers of Metal Gear REX. " _I may not be able to launch the nuke like I wanted, but I will crush you! You stole my chance for revenge on Big Boss, Snake! Both of them! Ocelot, Raven, Griffin, Wolf! You are all traitors! For that treason, you are sentenced to death! You will all bow, and offer yourself to this historic weapon as a sacrifice of blood! To this, the ultimate weapon, a demon that will drag the world kicking and screaming into a new era of warfare!_ "

A lift underneath Metal Gear REX engaged, with the quintet leaping off the now-shaking gantries onto the lift platform that was even now steadily rising. "Snake!" Ocelot yelled. "Contact Emmerich! He'll know of any weaknesses!"

Snake nodded, reluctantly accepting the gunslinger's help. "Harry, the broom!" Wolf yelled. "He won't be able to target us all at once, even with those instruments! We need to scatter! We'll take to the skies. You do the steering, I will shoot out any sensors that may be vulnerable to my rifle!"

Harry, bemused, nodded, pulling out the broomstick, and mounting it, Wolf mounting it just behind him, one hand holding onto him as they ascended, the other hand holding onto her PSG-1. As they did, Snake yelled, "Otacon told me that the radome is vulnerable! Once that is destroyed, Liquid'll have to open up the cockpit to pilot it!"

"Okay!" Harry yelled, knowing the radome was the large, dinner-plate like thing mounted on the left 'shoulder' of REX. "I'll hit it with Blasting Curses and Bombarda!" Snake had earlier given him the Stinger launcher and a supply of missiles to keep in his Mokeskin Pouch, where he had kept the broom and Cloak when he wasn't using them. He swooped down, and pulled them out. "Here, take them!" he yelled at Snake.

As he ascended again, Wolf clinging on, the lift they were all on, along with Metal Gear REX, reached its destination, a massive hangar. Ocelot and Raven dashed behind a storage container, only to find a second Stinger launcher in a crate. "Handy," Raven said, opening it up.

"Convenient," Ocelot mused as Raven loaded the missile launcher. "I'm sure it wasn't here before."

"Look the gift horse in the mouth later!" Snake yelled. "We need to stop Metal Gear!"

"Harry," Wolf hissed urgently. "Once the cockpit opens up…get me into position. I will shoot that son of a bitch."

"Got it."

Metal Gear REX rumbled to life, standing up, and emitting what sounded like the roar of some ancient and terrible dinosaur. Harry groaned softly to himself. Emmerich couldn't resist giving it the ability to roar like fucking Godzilla, could he?

* * *

What followed was a desperate dance, with Harry and Wolf weaving away from gunfire and the occasional attempt to swat at them with the railgun, while Snake, Raven, and Ocelot dodged missiles, lasers, and bullets. Even without the capability of firing nukes, Metal Gear REX was a formidable foe. Five people shouldn't have stood a chance.

And yet, as each Stinger missile and each spell hit the radome, Harry knew they were clawing their way to victory. He began to use other spells, fire spells and ice spells to weaken the radome's covering and make it more vulnerable to the Stinger missiles.

Finally, the radome spewed sparks, and began twitching spasmodically. And just in time, too. Raven had exhausted his Stingers, and Snake was down to his last one. "Did that do it?" Snake mused out loud.

REX, by way of reply, stomped over to Snake. " _Nice try, Snake! NOW DIE!_ " Liquid bellowed over the loudspeakers. But even as it made to step on him, something got in the way. Harry only caught a brief glimpse of the blue, grey, and orange blur, but there was no mistaking it.

"Hurry, get to cover!" yelled Gray Fox as he held up Metal Gear REX's massive foot. He was no longer wielding the sword, instead, an energy blaster was mounted on his right arm. His faceplate was now open, revealing his scarred face. And his voice was no longer a metallic rasp, though it was still a rasp.

"Gray Fox!" Snake yelled.

Fox chuckled bitterly. "A name from long ago. But it sounds better than Deepthroat."

"You were the other informant other than Griffin. The one who warned me about the mines and the gas," Snake realised.

"Indeed. And you haven't aged well, Snake," Fox joked.

" _I'll send you back to Hell, Gray Fox!_ " Liquid roared, before raising the foot of Metal Gear REX and stomping it down. Fox, as well as Snake, Ocelot, and Raven, took cover behind the container. Harry and Wolf landed nearby.

"The Stinger missile launcher," Ocelot said. "You put them there."

Fox nodded. "I did, Shalashaska. As a gift for Snake to stop Metal Gear."

"Fox…what do you want from me?" Snake asked.

"I am a prisoner of death. Only you hold the keys to my release."

"Jaeger," Harry said quietly. "Do you expect Snake to kill you?"

"Not anymore," Gray Fox admitted. "I have made my peace with Naomi. My sister, Snake. A sister who forgave my sins against her. I hope she has not perpetrated her vendetta against you. I made her promise…but even so, anger and resentment towards you still smoulders in her heart for my fate."

"Fox…she needs you," Harry said.

"No. She doesn't. Tell her…tell her how I died. And tell her that she should make her own way in the world, without me. Without a revenant, a shadow of her brother, dogging her steps." He looked at Metal Gear REX. "I'll stop it from moving. Call it a final present from Deepthroat." He then dashed out with blinding speed, ignoring Snake and Harry's yells.

Wolf nudged Harry. "Get the broom into the air again! If we're lucky, he'll destroy the radome, and I can take the shot."

Harry nodded, and they ascended into the air once more. They watched as Fox, in the middle of battling REX, got hit in mid-air with the electron laser. Fox screamed in agony as his left arm got sheared away. He landed on a ledge high up along the room, only for Metal Gear REX's cockpit to slam brutally into him, pinning him against the wall.

" _In the Middle East, we didn't hunt foxes, but jackals! And instead of foxhounds, we used royal harriers!_ " Liquid boasted.

Fox laughed painfully, before raising his energy cannon. "Then you wouldn't know…" Suddenly, bolts of energy lanced from the cannon into the radome. _"You wouldn't know that a cornered fox is more dangerous than a jackal!_ " he roared. With a final shot, the radome exploded, shattering into fragments.

Harry felt Wolf carefully take her arm from around him, before carefully getting her rifle ready. Then, the cockpit of REX opened. Liquid's gaze was only on Fox. "Impressive. You are indeed worthy of the 'Fox' codename. But your time is past, Jaeger! You're a relic!"

"Liquid," Wolf called. When he turned to face her, Harry was deafened by the report of her rifle as she fired it. A hole dug itself into Liquid's forehead, his eyes comically wide with shock as blood and brain matter sprayed out of the back of his head, hitting the cockpit. "Goodbye," she said.

* * *

They brought Gray Fox back down to the hangar floor. They laid him down gently on the floor, blood oozing out of his stump. As Harry raised his wand, ready to start trying to heal what damage he could, Fox batted the wand from his hand with his arm cannon. "No…please, Griffin. This…is what I want." He coughed up a gout of blood.

"To die?" Harry asked. It wasn't that he wanted to prolong Gray Fox's torment. He'd seen enough people die over the past little while. Good, bad, and ugly.

"He is a revenant, pulled from the world beyond by crude and cruel means," Raven said solemnly. "The spiritual balance has been upset by Doctor Clarke's work."

Fox nodded weakly. "After Zanzibar Land…I was taken from the battlefield. And now, I am neither truly alive…nor truly dead. An undying shadow in a world of lights. But soon…soon…it will finally end…"

"Jaeger, can we do without the soliloquy?" Harry asked. "I can understand you wanting to die, but…"

"Let me finish, Griffin. Please. I have words for you all. Especially…Snake." He coughed up more blood, and then looked at Snake, his eyes filled with pain, even the damaged, cataract-ridden one. "Snake…we're not tools of the government, or anyone else. That is why…I joined Big Boss…at Zanzibar Land. Fighting…it was the only thing I was good at…but I'd like to think…I always fought…for what I believed in. Snake…all of you…farewell. Shalashaska…"

Ocelot nodded, before walking over to Fox. "Say hello to Ahab and my parents for me," Ocelot said quietly, as he stood over Gray Fox, and aimed his revolver at him. As Fox closed his eyes and smiled one last painful smile, Ocelot said, " _Do svidán'ja._ "

Once more, a loud report echoed throughout the hangar. And as the echoes faded away, so too did a tormented soul, finally released onto the next great adventure. Another soldier had gone on to his final resting place, whether that be Hell, Purgatory…or Heaven. Inner, or Outer.

And where to for the survivors? What would happen now? That, they would have to discover for themselves…

 **CHAPTER 13 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Well, here you are. The final battle. Just a couple of chapters to go now, the first actually wrapping up the events of** ** _Metal Gear Solid_** **, and the second being an epilogue. I hope you enjoyed how Liquid died this time around. Okay, a bit anti-climactic, but I had this in mind for a while. And I presume Gray Fox would know of Ocelot's nickname from his association with Big Boss in Zanzibar Land.**

 **BTW, sorry for the wait for this chapter, and these final chapters for this story.**

 **1\. I am referring to the infamous cliffhanger of episode 3 of** ** _Doctor Who: The Underwater Menace_** **, which only has two surviving episodes, including that one. It's often considered one of the worst of that era. Joseph Furst, the man who played Zaroff, was not actually faking his accent: he was Austrian by birth. He would later play the role of Metz in** ** _Diamonds are Forever_** **.**


	15. Chapter 14: A Parting of the Ways

**CHAPTER 14:**

 **A PARTING OF THE WAYS**

On Ocelot's directions, they soon found Meryl, locked in a cell, alive and, to a degree, well. Meanwhile, Snake got a call not just from Campbell, but from Jim Houseman, the Secretary of Defence. Upon learning that Metal Gear REX was still operable, with only the radome badly damaged, it seemed that Houseman had decided to let Snake, as well as the FoxHOUND survivors, live. He did demand the optical data of the test launch, though.

With Liquid dead, along with Mantis and his mind control, most of the surviving Genome Soldiers had surrendered. Naomi had turned out not to have included Snake on the FoxDIE list, along with Griffin and Wolf, despite orders from Houseman. It seemed that she had been dissuaded from taking her revenge. Ocelot gave one last vaccine dose to Raven. Finally, as they emerged into the snowscape, they met Emmerich, who needed some help freeing the remaining Shadow Moses staff, who had been imprisoned in an outlying building.

Harry was struck by the beautiful winter landscape. Sure, it was a bit bleak, but now that the storm had passed, literally and metaphorically, and the sun was just beginning to rise…it was beautiful. Not as beautiful as the woman standing by his side, who he knew was beginning to think she would never see another dawn, never mind one as beautiful as this.

As Snake and Meryl helped Emmerich, Ocelot and the other FoxHOUND operatives stood to one side. "Warms the cockles of your heart, doesn't it?" Ocelot asked.

"I didn't know you had a heart to warm, General Ivan," Raven said.

"I don't. As far as you guys are concerned, I turned on Liquid to save my own skin," Ocelot said. "And then, I fled into the Alaskan wilderness when I got back to shore. When we next meet, we'll probably be enemies. Enemies against the same foe, but enemies all the same."

"Do you mean the Patriots?" Wolf…no, it was Yasmin now, and perhaps forever, asked.

"Yes. The Patriots think I am their man. I am loyal to the Patriots, just not to _them_. Not to the machines Major Zero had Strangelove cook up. But to Big Boss, and to EVA. The Boss…my mother…she once told Big Boss that she is loyal to the end, to her purpose. It eventually cost her her life, and her reputation. I'm going down the same path."

Harry was struck by something he hadn't realised. As he looked at Ocelot, for a moment, he saw Snape in his place. A vile, unpleasant man, who was nonetheless willing to do anything to accomplish a higher goal, even if it cost him his reputation, and his life. "Are you doing it out of love?" Harry asked. "You remind me of someone who did the same thing out of love."

Ocelot merely chuckled, sounding almost like a disdainful scoff. "There're secrets I would take with me to my grave. Though my parents will probably spill, 'Master of Death'. Remember, you three, we'll probably be enemies when we next meet."

"Probably?" Yasmin asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ocelot chuckled, before he did a distinctive salute with both his hands, one he had done when he was young, in the GRU. "We'll meet again," he said, before turning and walking away.

The Codec chirruped, on both Yasmin and Harry, and they found themselves talking to Colonel Campbell. _Griffin, Wolf, are you there?_ he asked.

 _I can hear you_ , Yasmin said.

 _So can I_ , Harry added.

 _Good. I'm surprised, but the Secretary of Defence is keeping his word about the pardons to you two, along with Raven. President Sears knew little about this operation, and when he did learn, he's applied pressure on Houseman to ensure he keeps his side of the bargain. Houseman looked set to send bombers over to Shadow Moses to cover it up if Metal Gear was no longer operating. Even so, with Baker and Anderson dead, it'll be some time yet before the United States considers using Metal Gear in earnest. The fallout from this will be happening for a long time yet. Griffin…thank you for doing what you could. I only just received word that you were Nemo. I thought it might be you, but…thank you_ , Campbell said. _Snake was angry at me, but…he understood why I could only give him so much information, thanks to you. I hated keeping him in the dark. But Houseman had Meryl's safety over my head_.

Yasmin nodded. _Yes. I am sorry I had to shoot her, but…that was what I needed to do. Griffin healed her. What will become of us?_

 _The surviving members of FoxHOUND will be brought briefly into custody, but Sears has assured me that your release is a_ fait accompli, _albeit with a dishonourable discharge. You stopped Liquid Snake from unleashing a new nuclear weapon, after all. But you won't be welcome in America for a while, Wolf._

 _Fine by me. I'm not fond of this country myself. And I don't care what they think of my honour, Campbell. As far as I am concerned, there is precious little honour in the world._

 _You'll get no argument from me. FoxHOUND will be disbanded, perhaps for good, in light of what happened here. Griffin…there's something I need you to tell Meryl, in case Snake can't pluck up the courage to_.

Harry sighed. _What is it?_

 _Meryl's not my niece. She's my daughter_. After a moment, Campbell elaborated. _I…had an affair with my sister in law. I didn't know about Meryl being my daughter until my sister in law sent me a letter, shortly after my brother died. I was going to tell Meryl after this operation was over, but…_

 _You're afraid_ , Yasmin chuckled. **_Men_**.

Campbell promptly changed the subject. _Leaving that aside, we have an insurance policy. Mei Ling, who has been working with our comms and data, has a hard copy back-up of the mission data. That being said, there'll be elements who'll have a price on your head, unofficially._

 _Don't worry_ , Harry sent back. _I have places we can hide out until the worst of it dies down. What about Naomi?_

 _Naomi…will be arrested on charges of treason for modifying FoxDIE against orders, by not including you and Wolf_ , Campbell said, _along with releasing Gray Fox. I think we can muddy the waters somewhat, though. She's talking to Snake now, though. They're talking things out._

 _I think they need to get stuff off their chests_ , Harry said. _Anyway, without Naomi releasing Gray Fox, we might never have stopped Metal Gear, or Liquid. The first time Jaeger died, it was after piloting Metal Gear. The second time he died, it was saving the world from it._

 _I don't think the brass will take that into consideration. But I will. I think Naomi's still a good person in the end._

 _So do I. Life just dealt her a bad hand. Just like it did to us all. It's not always what you get, but what you do with it, Campbell. Wolf and I, we've had bad hands, but we did our best. I think after this, most of the ghosts from our past will be exorcised, or at least silenced. You said FoxHOUND was being disbanded, after all. I think this means we will be more free to choose how our life will go. I think Snake's managed to exorcise some of the ghosts haunting him, too. Anyway, I can Apparate the key players to where you'll pick us up._

 _Fox Island_ , Campbell said. _There're choppers on the way for the civilians. But for the survivors of FoxHOUND, Snake, Meryl, and Emmerich…well, we need to make sure there's no assassins. Houseman is a sore loser, even when he's won. And to him, Snake is an embarrassment, a dirty little secret. He gave me some spiel about_ Les Enfants Terrible. _By the way, where's Ocelot?_

 _He's already gone, slipped away like the slippery little customer he is_ , Harry said. _Snake's got the test data, though I think he's tempted to destroy it. He's had too much history with Metal Gear. I can't say I blame him. Having something like REX in the arsenal of the US doesn't fill me with confidence._

 _I can't blame you. And something tells me that something is going to leak anyway about this going on while Sears was signing START III. It's going to be a shitstorm. I don't have to tell you to lay low afterwards,_ Campbell said _._

 _I'm the Boy Who Lived. Even if I wanted to, I'm not sure I could lay low_ …

* * *

As he trudged through the snow, looking for his ticket off the frozen shithole of an island, Ocelot spoke over an encrypted satellite phone to a very special man indeed. President George Sears, otherwise known as Solidus Snake, the secret third child of _Les Enfants Terrible_.

" _And FoxHOUND?_ " Sears asked.

"Liquid, Octopus, and Mantis are dead," Ocelot rasped. "Thanks to the vaccine, I am fine, along with the others."

" _I don't like leaving loose ends, but it means that Metal Gear REX has been recovered and is salvageable. Hopefully, this situation is as well, and the Patriots won't make a move. What of my other brother, Silverburgh, and Emmerich?_ "

"Still alive. The Hunter woman excluded Solid Snake from the FoxDIE program."

" _Hmm. And the test data?_ "

"I copied it behind Liquid's back," Ocelot said. "Houseman thinks he's getting the only copy. Unfortunately, the original data was wiped from the computers."

" _And your cover is intact?_ "

Ocelot decided to lie, he had plenty of practice. "My cover's intact, don't worry. Well, save for the DARPA Chief, but I killed him."

" _And Liquid is dead?_ "

"Yes, killed by Wolf. Even so, it would appear that the inferior one was the one who prevailed." And good riddance, Ocelot thought privately to himself. Liquid was a waste of the genetic potential within him, an issue-ridden mess who had the skill and ability, but whose inferiority complexes, dating back long before Shadow Moses, held him back. Even if Liquid knew that he was supposedly the superior product of _Les Enfants Terrible_ , the truth was that he was too shackled by his past.

Solid Snake did have issues. He did have shackles tying him to the past. But there was something he had Liquid never did: even if it was buried down deep, Snake wanted to help people. He was a killer, but he tried to do good in the world. In a way, Ocelot thought Solid Snake more of a successor to Big Boss than Liquid ever could be.

Of course, so too was Harry. Harry was no relation to Big Boss or the Snakes, but Ocelot could see much of their fire in him. Ocelot actually thought highly of Harry. Even buried in cynicism, Harry was easily the most idealistic of them all, and through him, more people came out of Shadow Moses alive than there would have been.

Even so, Ocelot knew that they'd be enemies, enemies approaching the same goal from different ends: the destruction of the Patriots. And where Ocelot was going, he couldn't ask Harry, or the others, to follow.

He was broken out of his reverie when Sears said, " _And that shows the danger of meddling with the balance of genes. Wouldn't you agree, Ocelot?_ "

"I do, sir. It takes a well-balanced individual such as yourself to rule the world."

" _Do they know?_ "

Once more, Ocelot lied. "No, nobody knows that you're the third child of _Les Enfants Terrible_ , Solidus Snake. And if they did know, who would believe them? What should I do about Hunter?"

" _Keep an eye on her._ "

"Very well, I'll keep her under surveillance," Ocelot said.

" _You've done well, Ocelot. I'll see you later._ "

"Yes, thank you. Goodbye, Mr President," Ocelot said, before hanging up. He scoffed as he continued walking.

 _You fool_ , Ocelot thought. _You're just as bad as Liquid, intending to cause chaos while liberating America, and the world, from the Patriots. I've been playing this game far longer than you have, Sears. And we have some fine pieces on the game board. Solid Snake, the dependable if reluctant pawn of FoxHOUND. And Harry Potter, the ultimate quixotic wild card. Between them and their allies, I think the Patriots are in real trouble. I'd better contact EVA, see if she's willing to help them. My path and hers are separate, but maybe her path can be with them_ …

* * *

On Fox Island (after a few Apparations), Meryl, Emmerich, Snake, Harry, Yasmin and Raven waited for their extraction chopper. Meryl looked somewhat pensive, even upset, considering what she had just learned about her parentage (Snake having plucked up the courage to do what Campbell couldn't). Then, Harry said, to lighten the mood, "You know, it could be worse, Meryl."

"What?"

"You could've had Ocelot as a father," Harry said.

Meryl grimaced. "Oh, I did NOT need a mental image of my mother in bed with Ocelot!"

"It probably wouldn't have happened, anyway," Harry said. "Ocelot loved only Big Boss. I think that's who he loved."

"Okay, I did NOT need a mental image of _Big Boss_ in bed with Ocelot!" Meryl snapped. "Please don't say these things!"

"Just trying to lighten the mood," Harry said. "Are you okay, Meryl?"

"I've been better. And…you were right. I'm sorry I called you a traitor."

"I _was_ a traitor…just to Liquid and his perverted ideals," Harry said, hugging Yasmin closer. "The problem was, it also meant hurting someone dear to me."

"I'm fine, Harry," Yasmin said quietly. "I mean…I was angry, angry beyond belief with what you did…but…I forgive you. But will there ever be a place for Saladin's ideals? For soldiers to be no longer prey to the whim of politicians?"

"I don't know," Harry admitted. "And that's not the point. I prefer the Boss' ideal, of a world united, not by war, or by control, but by people just trying to be a bit nicer to each other. The barriers of race and language broken down, and with them, many of the causes for conflict. I mean, it may never be achieved, but as long as the world is improved one day at a time, where it's a little bit better…it's worth it. One less child crying in grief because her parents were killed in war. One less hospital hit by a stray bomb. A life lived better because someone cared. I think that's what should be called Outer Heaven: the concept of lives lived without pain or fear or want. Not some PMC or ideal for soldiers. That's what we should fight for. A heaven in this life, not the next. Maybe that's what I needed to find. Or rather, rediscover. I wanted to fight for that ideal all along. I just lost my faith."

"You're not the only one," Snake said quietly. "Until today…I have to admit, I fought only for myself, for survival. I lied to Big Boss in Zanzibar Land, when I said I fought to end the nightmares I had suffered. I only felt truly alive when I stared death in the face. Maybe it's written into my genes, being the son of Big Boss and all."

"What about now, Snake?" Meryl asked. "What do your genes tell you now?"

"Maybe I should start living for someone else. Maybe someone like you." Snake shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe that's the real way to live. It's about time I found out for myself."

"Probably the best way to do it, Snake," Harry said.

"…David. My real name is David," Snake admitted.

"Hello Dave, my name is Hal," Emmerich said. And after a moment, Snake, along with everyone else, began to laugh. The laughter felt good, cathartic, after the events earlier. In the cold February morning, they laughed, even as the chopper coming to take them from this place arrived, blowing up a blizzard as it came in to land.

It seemed like a fresh start for them all. A start that might have them still involved in battles, but of their own choosing. Now, at least, they had something to fight for…

 **CHAPTER 14 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **The penultimate chapter of** ** _Broken Tools!_** **Now, all that's left is the epilogue, setting things up for the sequel. Well, if I decide to write one. Which I probably will, just not for a long time. I've got too many other stories on my plate, after all.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	16. Epilogue: Phoenix

**EPILOGUE:**

 **PHOENIX**

 _Seven months later_ …

On a beach in Southeast Queensland, Australia, two people lay side by side on towels laid out on the sand. One was a young man with a messy shock of black hair, wearing broadshorts. The other was a woman, a little older perhaps, with blonde hair and a gorgeous figure, wearing a skimpy bikini. "You had me worried, you know," the woman said. "I'm not happy with what you did, Harry."

"I know, I know. But I was the infiltration expert in Liquid's FoxHOUND before they disbanded it," the man said. "And frankly, if you came with me, you would have killed one of the targets, Yasmin."

"That wasn't the point, Harry! I thought you were going behind my back to see another woman!" Yasmin snapped. "Though I have to admit, bringing someone like him back…I can't believe that you're even considering helping him."

"The Sorrow and the Boss told me that he deserves one last chance, if only to correct the mistakes he made," Harry said. "Don't get me wrong, I don't like it anyway. He was too much like Dumbledore…though Dumbledore at least meant well. But…according to Ocelot, as well as the Sorrow, he regretted what he had done, in the end. Anyway, I thought you'd be grateful, considering who else I managed to recover."

"Yes…I mean, I remember you telling me he was still alive, and scarcely believing it, but…it is another thing to see the reality. And at least Liquid was good for something. I think we shouldn't have let Ocelot go, though."

"He's got his own plans to deal with the Patriots. He warned us that we'd be enemies. Though selling the secrets of Metal Gear REX to every state, country and corporation is pretty bad. Actually, the Shadow Moses crew and Hermione wanted to come here to talk to us. And considering they're amongst the few to know where we live now…"

Yasmin Potter, the woman formerly known as Sniper Wolf, nodded. They had gotten married in a private ceremony in Australia shortly after Shadow Moses. Some of Harry's old friends had been invited. She had gotten to meet the Weasleys, Hermione, Neville, and Luna, along with Professor McGonagall and Rubeus Hagrid. She had caused a mixed reaction, with Hermione recognising Yasmin as Sniper Wolf, from Nastasha Romanenko's exposé _In the Darkness of Shadow Moses_. Snake, much to his discomfort, and Harry, albeit under his codename of Thaumaturge Griffin, had become heroes in the public eye. Romanenko, who had been one of the consultants helping Snake during the Shadow Moses incident, was now a member of Harry's own organisation.

Hermione had actually kept quiet about things: neither she nor Harry didn't want it all over Magical Britain that Harry Potter had had yet another adventure, saving the world from a deluded madman, and that Yasmin had been one of the terrorists. Instead, she stuck to Harry's story, which had most of the truth, that Yasmin was a former special forces sniper. They did introduce Solid Snake, who went by the name of David Smith. Hermione had to resist from fangirling out. Even before Shadow Moses, she knew a little about Solid Snake. Her relationship with Ron had gone sour since Harry left, but when she was introduced to Hal Emmerich, she found herself with a kindred spirit.

Snake hadn't been so lucky in love. His relationship with Meryl didn't go well, though they parted on amicable enough terms. Certainly amicable enough that they were willing to work together, and were friends. Oddly enough, after Naomi Hunter was released from prison, having her charges dropped after a period, she and Snake were getting along well.

And what of Harry and Yasmin? Along with Raven, Nastasha Romanenko, and EVA, they formed a small PMC. They were mostly involved with troubleshooting and the like, security details and consultancy jobs. And Harry had the inspiration for the name of it from an old friend who turned up unexpectedly.

Fawkes had disappeared after flying away from Dumbledore's funeral, singing a lament. Not long after Shadow Moses, Fawkes unexpectedly turned up on Harry and Yasmin's doorstep. Well, windowsill. Long story short, Fawkes was now bound to the two of them. It was then decided that their new PMC would be called Phoenix. Not just in Fawkes' honour, but also to symbolise the rebirth of those who had gone through Shadow Moses and come out alive. Where they would strive to prevent their pasts from defining them too much. That they had risen from the ashes anew.

They had gotten a few small jobs here and there. Nothing big, and frankly, it was Harry's fortune that was sustaining the company. Then again, it could sustain Phoenix for the rest of their lives.

Their headquarters was in Queensland, in an expensive beachside mansion that was now their home, as well as headquarters. It was hidden by the Fidelius, with Harry being the Secret Keeper. Aside from the members of Phoenix, only Hermione, Snake, Meryl, Hal, Naomi, and Campbell knew where they were.

"Do you regret joining FoxHOUND?" Yasmin asked.

"I only regret not stopping Liquid sooner," Harry said quietly. "I don't regret joining it because not only did I stop him, but more importantly, I got to meet you. The Sorrow told me, if I hadn't joined FoxHOUND, if I hadn't forged a bond with you…you might have died. You didn't deserve that. You're a truly beautiful woman, Yasmin, inside and out."

Yasmin chuckled, rolling onto him, straddling him. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Harry."

Harry laughed as Yasmin kissed him. "Hey, we'd better save this stuff for the bedroom. Raven can see through Disillusionment Charms, and we haven't got the Cloak here."

"What a shame," she purred.

* * *

Sometime later, they were back in the mansion, and having dressed, had entered the makeshift infirmary, the bulky muscled form of Raven sitting next to a pair of forms in bed, EVA hovering nearby. Fawkes was perched at the end of one of the beds, while Nastasha looked on, an e-cigarette in her hand. "How's the process going, Raven?"

Raven nodded. "Phoenix tears are the closest thing to a panacea in this world, a true miracle cure," the giant shaman said. "They are healing well. The only thing it won't heal is the ravages of time and tide. Harry, is this wise?"

"Probably not, but I wasn't known for my wise decisions," Harry said blithely. "At the very least, one side or another will get closure. On the other hand, though, we might have two of our best allies back."

"I can understand bringing _him_ back," EVA said, indicating one of the forms, "but _him?_ You know what he did, Harry! It's thanks to him that the world is in this mess now."

"Yes, but he regretted that in the end, according to the Sorrow, and Ocelot. Maybe he can help us stop what he started. If not…well, maybe it's time for him to pass on. You can do that if you want, EVA."

"…EVA?" rasped a voice. It came from one of the bedridden men. An ancient man, perhaps ninety or more, with only a barest wisp of hair left on his now bald head, making him resemble some oversized baby. Oxygen was delivered through a nasal cannula. His eyes, one marred by a scar over it, flickered open, showing intelligence for the first time in over two decades. Confused and clouded intelligence, but intelligence all the same. "EVA…is that you?"

"Yes, it is. You got old, Zero," EVA said quietly.

A bitter laugh emerged from the old man, once known as Major Zero, born David Oh. "I _feel_ old. But…I haven't thought so clearly…in such a long time…how…how did it happen?"

"Phoenix tears," Harry said. "They can heal almost any injury, poison, or sickness. They were certainly able to purge the parasites Skull Face infected you with."

Zero's rheumy eyes looked over at Harry. "I don't believe I know you. Or that Phoenixes exist. You have me at a disadvantage, Mr…?"

"Harry Potter. You wouldn't know me."

Zero scoffed. "Actually…I do. I knew of you, in the dying days of my infection. I knew of Magical Britain. One of the last things I saw before the vegetative state consumed my consciousness was you being heralded as the Boy Who Lived. You've grown. Why did you heal me?"

"Because your creations are getting out of control, Major Zero," Harry said.

"Call me Cipher." Zero looked over at EVA. "What of the others?"

"SIGINT and Para-Medic are dead. Ocelot is a fugitive, as am I. And Jack?" She indicated the bed next to Zero.

Zero, gingerly, looked over to the next bed, to the bearded old man with one eye (the other covered by a medical eyepatch), sleeping peacefully. "Jack…" he murmured sadly.

"Your AIs put him into a coma and used him as an ID system for their own uses," EVA said coldly.

"And Ahab? Venom Snake?" Zero asked.

"Dead," Harry said. "At the hands of one of the products of _Les Enfants Terrible_."

"David…he was the one I took the most interest in," Zero said, guessing correctly. Then, something occurred to him. "What do you mean, my creations are getting out of control?"

"Just that. The Patriots, the ones you had Strangelove build, are tightening their grip on the world, and especially America," EVA said. "They are diverging further and further away from your will, not to mention that of the Boss."

"EVA…" rasped another voice. It came from the man in the bed next to Zero's. The man called by many names, like Jack, John Doe, Naked Snake, Saladin, Ishmael…and Big Boss. His eye slid over from EVA, to Yasmin. "…Yasmin? You've grown…" His eye then went over to Raven. "Raven…" And then, he saw Zero. "Major…" His rasping voice became an angry growl.

"Don't strain yourself, Saladin," Yasmin said quietly. "You've only just come out of a coma, just like Zero did. You're safe."

After a moment, Big Boss asked, "…How long have I been under?"

"Six years," Harry said.

After a moment, Big Boss chuckled weakly. "Didn't get to break my own record that time. I thought…I thought I was dead, after my son…set me on fire."

"You'll get to catch up with him later," Harry said quietly. "He's coming here later today, along with Huey Emmerich's son and Campbell's daughter. Oh, and Frank Jaeger's sister."

"Naomi? Ah. Who are you?"

"I'm Harry Potter. You wouldn't know me, or my codename, Thaumaturge Griffin. But it's an honour to meet you, Big Boss. Your mentor told me much about you, spoke highly of you."

"The Boss?!" Big Boss demanded.

"He is able to speak with the dead, like the Sorrow," Yasmin explained.

"Oh. I see. So, the next generation is meeting, huh? And why is that?"

"I think they're planning something, and want us in on it," Nastasha said. "And after what Emmerich hinted at, I think I know what it is…"

* * *

On the front lawn of the headquarters of Phoenix, a quintet materialised, clinging to a piece of rope. "I'll never get used to that," a dark-haired man with intense features said in a rasping growl of a voice.

"All magical transport is pretty rough," agreed a bushy-haired young woman. She then turned to a thin young man with glasses. "Are you okay, Hal?"

"I'm fine, Hermione."

Then, came the familiar figures of Harry and Yasmin walking out of the house. "Hey!" Harry yelled. "Sorry it's not all of us, but we've got a couple of houseguests. Raven's trying to make sure they don't kill each other. Or that EVA doesn't kill one of them. How are you guys?"

"A bit shaken thanks to this Portkey thing," Naomi Hunter said. "But we'll survive."

Meryl nodded. "And what do you mean, houseguests?"

"Well, let's just say that David's got someone to talk to," Harry said.

David, aka the man known as Solid Snake, raised an eyebrow. "Well, sounds like quite the story. But we're here on fairly important business, as you know."

"Well, what business is that?" Yasmin asked.

"We'll discuss the full details later," Hermione said. "The thing is, though, Ocelot's actions have ensured a proliferation of Metal Gear REX knockoffs across the world. Hal had the idea of trying to stop it. I mean, he helped build it, based on Granin's old designs."

"I feel responsible," Emmerich said. "And I want to leave a better future to humanity. I pitched this idea to Hermione and Snake, and, well, we've decided to create our own NGO, dedicated to raising awareness of the dangers of Metal Gear, as well as act against any nation creating one, either by exposing them, or, if necessary, destroying them. We felt we needed some more people in our organisation, though, and we decided to turn to Phoenix for help."

"We've even got a name," Meryl said. "Hal here was the one who thought of it. A name to show we're trying to help humanity, present and future."

"And what name is that?" Yasmin asked.

Emmerich then said one word. And Harry had to admit, it was a pretty good name. One that showed it was trying to work for the benefit of humanity. It felt like history was being made when Emmerich made that announcement. A word that might change the world forever, and hopefully, for the better.

" _Philanthropy._ "

 **EPILOGUE ANNOTATIONS:**

 **And here you have it, the end of** ** _Broken Tools_** **. Yes, I've done some rather unusual ships. Meryl will get her own pairing in the sequel, if and when it is written. I thought, in a way, Snake and Naomi would make a better couple, after that whole business with Jaeger is cleared up. And given that I have shipped Otacon with Hermione (yes, I know that's out of the blue, but it occurred to me, and I thought it a good idea), it helps free things up. And I thought, Snake and Naomi, given that they're both broken souls, might do better to help each other. It's partly thanks to Harry's testimony that Naomi's out of prison, and not working (for the most part, anyway) under Ocelot.**

 **And yes, Major Zero and Big Boss are back! I've got big plans for both of them, especially Major Zero, who will, if and when I come around to doing the sequel, will redeem himself in a big way. This sequel will start derailing the canon of the** ** _Metal Gear_** **games post-Shadow Moses in a big way. Phoenix is going to start taking the fight to the Patriots, and the events of _Metal Gear Solid 2_ , or at least the Big Shell incident, may not even happen. We'll see how the story goes if I do the sequel.**

 **Anyway, thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed** ** _Broken Tools_** **.**

 **No numbered annotations.**


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